Vegetation fire forces evacuations in Jurupa Valley
JURUPA VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- Approximately 25 homes were evacuated Thursday afternoon after an 8-acre vegetation fire broke out near Van Buren and 60th Street in Jurupa Valley.
Riverside County sheriff's deputies evacuated over two dozen homes on Hudson Street between Main Street and Limonite Avenue.
Areli Hernandez says she got out of her home just in time before the fire destroyed it.
"It started over there in the field, and then when I turned around the fire department was yelling at me to run because it was coming, and it was. All the house is burning," Hernandez said.
As flames ripped through Hernandez's home, firefighters did everything they could to prevent the fire from spreading even more.
Van Buren was closed between 56th Street and Limonite Avenue, as was 58th Street between Felspar and Hudson streets and Felspar Street between 58th Street and Limonite Avenue. Power lines were down in the area.
The fire was fully contained at about 4:30 p.m. One firefighter and one civilian were treated for minor injuries.
The American Red Cross was called in to assist one displaced family. The Department of Animal Services and on-scene firefighters rescued several cats, dogs and a bunny and were in the process of reuniting the pets with their owners at Pedley Elementary School.
Crews also battled a 2.5-acre brush fire in Whittier amid dangerous red-flag conditions earlier in the day.
The blaze ignited near Mar Vista Street and Colima Road around 10:30 a.m. As of 12 p.m., the fire was 70 percent contained.
The low humidity level, high temperatures and strong winds are creating hazardous fire conditions across the Southland.
Another brush fire erupted in Riverside earlier in the day in the Santa Ana River bottom near Market Street and the 60 Freeway. Crews made quick work of that blaze, knocking it down after it charred just 60 square feet of heavy brush.
Two people were injured in the fire, and one was taken to an area hospital.
"Between ourselves, Forest Service and county fire, we had an aggressive response today and were able to contain these small fires and keep them small," said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Sweeney.
Wind advisories for the Inland Empire expired by 2 p.m., and red-flag warnings across most of SoCal are expected to come down by around 8 p.m.
