As of Friday morning, the fire is at 27,319 acres in total and is still only 5 percent contained. A flash flood and high wind warning is in place for the fire area as Tropical Storm Kay moves up the coast of Baja California and closer to Southern California. The huge fire first broke out shortly after 3:30pm on Monday and in less than 24 hours it has killed at least two people. By Wednesday morning it had burned about 5,000 acres and by Wednesday night had exploded to more than 18,000 acres, with fire crews containing 5 percent of the fire. The official cause of the fire is still unknown, but Southern California Edison said Wednesday it is investigating circuit activity when the fire started.
Evacuations
The Riverside Fire Department along with CAL Fire issued an evacuation order for several areas. The following is where evacuation orders were in place as of 7 p.m. on Thursday, with no updates since Friday at 6 a.m. Click here to view an updated list of evacuation orders and warnings.
South Thornton Avenue, North of Polly Butte Road, West of Fairview, East of State Street,
South of Thornton Avenue, North of Polly Butte Road, West of Fairview Avenue, East of State Street,
East of State Street, West of Fairview, South of Stetson Avenue, North of McSweeny Parkway.
East of State Street, West of Fairview Avenue, South of Stetson Avenue, North of McSweeny Parkway.
South of McSweeney Road to North of Cactus Valley, at the end of that road, East of State Street, South of Stetson Ave.
North of Cactus Valley Road, West of Fairview Avenue, Bautista Canyon Road, South of Stetson, North of Two Streams Fork Trailhead, Bautista Canyon Road, South of Stetson, North of Two Streams Fork trailhead
Thomas Mountain Ridge South to Cactus Valley to Bautista to the forest edge, South of Cactus Valley Road, North of Minto Way,
North of Red Mountain Road, West of the US Forest Service boundary and east of Sage Road, East Red Mountain Road and Cahuilla Mountain to USFS,
South Minto, South Red Mountain Road, West Stanley Road, North Stanley Road, West of Wilson Way, South of Highway 74, East of Fairview Avenue,
North of Stetson Street, South of Minto Way, South of Red Mountain Road, West of Stanley Street, North of Stanley Street, East of Sage Road
South of Diamond Valley Lake, East of Washington Street North of Borel Street, East of Rancho California Road East of Anza Street North of Temecula Parkway (Highway 79) Northwest of Highway 371, West of Springbrook Road.
An evacuation center has been set up at Tahquitz Middle School in Hemet, located at 2245 Titan Trail. Displaced persons who meet at Tahquitz High School can bring their small animals with them. Animal services will help them with their small animals.
About the Fairview Fire
The Fairview fire was first reported around 3:37 p.m. on Monday, as a fire at Fairview Avenue and Bautista Street. Wind traveling in unexpected directions for the time of year caused the Avery Canyon fire to spread quickly. At least two people died while trying to escape the fire in Fairview. The family told NBCLA that father and daughter Ian Matthew Compton and Mikayla Porter were the two people who were overtaken by the fire as they were speeding through Avery Canyon. A third person, Ian Compton’s wife according to the family, is in hospital with serious injuries. The two people who died in the Fairview fire in Hemet have been identified as father and daughter. The mother was also seriously injured trying to escape the fire. At least seven structures have been destroyed, and a number of other structures have been damaged. More information on damaged and destroyed buildings is expected later Tuesday. By Tuesday morning the fire had reached 2,400 acres and by Tuesday evening had doubled in size to 4,500 acres. On Tuesday morning, the East Municipal Water District issued a boil water notice for “residents of the fire-affected areas of east Hemet.” About 50 homes in the area, including all of Polly Butte Road and the area east of 41477 Gibbel Road should “use only boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking as a safety precaution to avoid gastrointestinal illness,” until further notice . All schools in the Hemet Unified School District have been closed since Tuesday due to the fire. During Wednesday, the fire quadrupled in size, from 5,000 acres in the early morning hours to 18,657 acres by nightfall. On Thursday, the fire grew rapidly once again, reaching a total of 27,319 acres. Southern California Edison is investigating how the fire may have started and released a statement about their investigation. “Our information reflects circuit activity occurring near the time the fire was reported,” the statement read in part. “With safety as our number one priority, we continue to make progress in our wildfire mitigation efforts.” A brutal week-long heat wave in Southern California didn’t help the state’s dry conditions that contributed to the fire’s rapid growth. Fuel moisture levels are well below historical averages in parts of Southern California, meaning vegetation is drying out faster this year. Dry vegetation is an important factor in the spread of fires. The state emerged from one of the driest slow winters on record, leaving hillsides covered in dry brush. California continues to face longer fire seasons as a direct result of climate change, according to CAL FIRE.
