Mountain Fire: State of Emergency Declared in Riverside County

Mountain Fire grows to about 30,000 acres

California’s Lieutenant Governor has issued an emergency proclamation for Riverside County in response to Mountain Fire, a massive wildfire that has destroyed residences and threatens thousands of homes and commercial properties forcing mass evacuations evacuations.

Mountain Fire has grown to 27,179 acres and remains at 15% containment as of Friday p.m. and more than 6,000 people have already been evacuated.

Additional Evacuation Orders/ Warning/ Notices

• The Riverside County Sheriff in cooperation with Idyllwild Fire Protection District has issued an evacuation notice for the Idyllwild and Fern Valley area. This does not include Mountain Center and Poppet Flats.
• This evacuation notice also includes the San Jacinto State Park Wilderness, Forest Service Wilderness and Forest Service Campgrounds.
• An Evacuation Warning was issued for the community of Pine Cove just before noon on July 19, 2013.

Campground and Trail Closures:

The Pacific Crest Trail is now closed from Highway 74 (mile 152) to Strawberry Junction (mile 183) near the San Jacinto State Park boundary. All of the trails connection to the Pacific Crest Trail are closed as well, including South Ridge Trail, Carumba Trail, Spitler Peak Trail, Fobes Trail, and Cedar Springs.

All Forest Service Campgrounds located along Highway 243 are closed, The San Jacinto State Park is closed, and the San Jacinto Wilderness is closed.

Hurkey Creek County Campground, and all hiking and mountain biking trails out of Hurkey Creek and May Valley are closed.

Road Closures and Evacuations:

Evacuations orders for Trails End, Morris Ranch, and Camp Joe Scherman have been lifted as of 1:00 P.M. on July 20, 2013. Evacuation orders are still in effect for Idyllwild and Fern Valley. An Evacuation Warning also remains in place for the community of Pine Cove.

Closures have been lifted for Highway 74. Please be advised that fire crews and apparatus will still be working in the area; proceed with care for their safety and yours. Highway 243 is under a hard closure south of Pine Cove at the Nature Center to the junction of Highway 74. Residents have been allowed to return to the Apple Canyon and Bonita Vista areas.

Camp Ronald McDonald has been voluntarily evacuated due to health concerns related to air quality.

Evacuation Centers:

Hemet High School, 41701 E. Stetson Ave, Hemet

Hamilton High School, 57430 Mitchell Road, Anza – Can accept small animals

Beaumont High School, 39139 Cherry Valley Blvd., Cherry Valley

Large and Small animals can be brought to the San Jacinto Animal Shelter, 581 S. Grand Ave, San Jacinto CA

Mountain fire continues to rage in the San Jacinto Mountains

The full text of the emergency proclamation is below:

A PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY

WHEREAS a wildfire started on July 15, 2013, and continues to burn in Riverside County; and

WHEREAS the fire has burned over 24,000 acres, destroyed homes and commercial properties, and is threatening thousands of other residences and scores of other commercial properties, necessitating the evacuation of residents, and the opening of emergency shelters; and

WHEREAS on July 18, 2013, Riverside County proclaimed a local emergency and requested that I proclaim a state of emergency; and

WHEREAS the circumstances of this wildfire, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county, city and county, or city and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat; and

WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8558(b) of the California Government Code, I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exists within the County of Riverside due to these events.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Lieutenant Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, section 8625 of the California Government Code, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist within Riverside County.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT all agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan.

I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 19th day of July, 2013.

Related Links

• Wildfire Forces 6,000 Residents, Visitors Flee Calif. Town July 18, 2013

• Wildfire Clears Thousands in Calif. Town
• 6,000 people under evacuation orders as winds stoke Mountain fire

Wildfire Forces 6,000 Residents, Visitors Flee Calif. Town

Fierce, fast-moving wildfire turns on Calif. town, surrounding communities

At least 6,000 people were under mandatory evacuation Wednesday night as a massive wildfire exploded out of control in mountain terrain SW of Palm Springs.

The so-called Mountain fire has already consumed about 20,000 acres and destroyed 15 structures including at least 6 homes.

Mandatory evacuations were issued as a wind shift pushed the massive Mountain fire toward the resort town of Idyllwild.

At least 2,200 homes were evacuated and 4,100 residences including hotels, condominiums and cabins were threatened, said Forest Service spokeswoman Melody Lardner.

Large amounts of smoke and ash from the fire has prompted the authorities to issue a smoke advisory for multiple areas including Hemet, San Jacinto Valley, Banning Pass, Anza and the Coachella Valley.

The blaze is burning in the San Jacinto Mountains about 12 miles from the site of the 2006 Esperanza fire that destroyed 34 homes and five U.S. Forest Service fire crews, AP reported.

Timelapse of “Mountain Fire” near Idyllwild/San Jacinto wilderness

“Mountain Fire” in the San Jacintos destroys homes

Related Links

• Wildfire Clears Thousands in Calif. Town
• 6,000 people under evacuation orders as winds stoke Mountain fire

Wildfires Prompt Evacuations in CA, MT

Hundreds evacuated as wildfires threaten dozens of homes in Calif. and Mont.

A raging wildfire in rural Riverside County has forced the evacuation of dozens of  homes.

The fast moving blaze broke out Monday p.m. in the community of Mountain Center between Palm Springs and Hemet, and devoured 1,000 acres within hours, damaging or destroying a number of structures.

The blaze was 5 percent contained, as of posting, with more than 400 state and federal fire crews at the scene.

Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the community of Bonita Vista,  Fleming Ranch and a nearby animal sanctuary, said a report.

-oOo-

West Mullan Fire, Superior, Mont.

Mandatory evacuations are in place for dozens of homed in the Flat Creek and Pardee Creek areas, reported Inciweb.

The so-called West Mullan Fire  started near Interstate 90 about two miles northwest of Superior Sunday p.m. and quickly spread to more than 700 acres in less than 24 hrs.

Thick smoke has resulted in limited visibility in Superior and along Interstate 90 in the area, said a report.

“The fire’s hitting Superior hard. The smoke is so thick in Superior, health officials closed the pool and are now urging people to stay indoors.”

Heat wave over the East will expand into the Plains by the middle of the week: NWS

A large subtropical dome of hot air will expand across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and to the Midwest this week bringing a long duration heat wave to the area. Temperatures will soar through the 90s with heat indices well over 100 degrees. 

A large mid-level ridge centered over the Ohio Valley is responsible for the
heat wave currently across the east, and the ridge is forecast to expand westward through Wednesday. This will have the effect of increasing high temperatures past the 90 degree mark throughout most of the central and northern Plains by Wednesday.

US Weather Hazards Map – July 16, 2013. Source: NWS