Crime & Safety
MOUNTAIN FIRE UPDATE: Blaze Now 22,800 Acres, Homes Threatened, Evac Orders for Idyllwild, Fern Valley
Reported by Patch editors Guy McCarthy, Renee Schiavone and Toni McAllister.
UPDATE AT 7 p.m. July 18, 2013: A "human caused" wildfire burning through steep mountainous terrain in the San Bernardino National Forest was within sight of Palm Springs today, though a fire official assured that efforts to keep the 22,800-acre blaze away from densely populated areas were going well.
"We are putting in place a strategy to work our way east ... to contain the fire," Jeanne Pincha-Tulley, a chief for the U.S. Forest Service, said during an early afternoon briefing outside a command post set up to coordinate operations connected with the Mountain Fire.
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"We've lost three permanent homes and three mobile homes, but we got everybody out safe and sound," Pincha-Tulley said. "We've got hotshots, Cal Fire resources and quite a fleet of aircraft available. We're doing pretty well. We are the national priority right now."
She said flames from the monster blaze "sloped over onto the desert side" and were within two miles of Palm Springs' western boundary. But there was no immediate threat to the urban center itself.
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She said the fire was "human caused," but was still under investigation. The blaze is 15 percent contained.
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Patrick Reitz, chief of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District, said officials are "optimistic and trying to remain optimistic ... we can keep this on the other side of the ridge so it doesn't come into town."
Late Thursday afternoon, Riverside County has proclaimed a local emergency, which could make the county eligible for disaster funds if state and federal officials make funds available. The funds would reimburse the county for fire response, spokesman Ray Smith said. The cost of operations has reached $5.5 million, according to the Forest Service.
More than 6,000 acres of the land burned is part of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians' reservation, according to the tribe.
Evacuation orders issued Wednesday include Forest Service land and Mount San Jacinto State Park and the Trails End community at the north end of Morris Ranch Road near Garner Valley, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Riverside County sheriff's Capt. Scot Collins said law enforcement personnel are patrolling evacuated areas.
There also have been evacuations in the Coachella Valley, within the Andreas Canyon Club, an area of 24 homes south of Palm Canyon Drive in an unincorporated area south of Palm Springs.
Some 4,100 residences in the evacuation zones, plus 100 commercial properties, are threatened by the blaze, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman John Miller.
The evacuation orders affected about 6,000 people living northwest of the fire zone and were prompted in part by a shift of direction in the prevailing winds, said Melody Lardner of the Forest Service.
Pine Cove, Mountain Center and Poppet Flats were not affected by the evacuation orders, which were issued by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the Idyllwild Fire Protection District.
Highway 243 was closed from Highway 74 to Interstate 10 in Banning, and Highway 74 was closed from Cranston Station in Hemet to Highway 371, according to Caltrans.
Smoke and ash, meanwhile, continued to bedevil the region. A smoke advisory issued by the South Coast Air Quality was in effect today for parts of the Coachella Valley, Hemet, the San Jacinto Valley, the Banning Pass area and the Anza area.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway was closed today, but the VillageFest street market was slated to continue. An information board is posted at the Forest Service's satellite information center at South Palm Canyon Drive and Bogert Trail.
About 3,000 personnel, 228 engines, 10 fixed-wing aircraft, 17 helicopters, 21 water tenders and 15 bulldozers were deployed as of this morning. Today, two California Air National Guard firefighting aircraft were activated to help if needed.
The Mountain Fire ignited in the vicinity of highways 74 and 243, south of Mountain Center, around 1:45 p.m. Monday and has destroyed 23 structures. It's burning at a "rapid" rate through timber and chaparral in very steep and rugged terrain, according to the Forest Service.
Evacuation centers have been opened at Hamilton High School in Anza and Hemet and Beaumont high schools, and evacuation centers for animals were set up at Lake Hemet Campground in Garner Valley and the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, according to the Forest Service. Palm Springs hotels today started offering discounts to those affected by the fire -- a list is posted at www.visitpalmsprings.com.--City News ServiceUpdate 9:47 a.m. July 18, 2013: The fire burning in the San Jacinto Mountains east of Southwest Riverside County has now consumed 22,800 acres, has nearly 3,000 firefighters assigned to it, has forced evacuations, and has destroyed homes.
As of Thursday morning, the U.S. Forest Service is reporting the blaze, named the Mountain fire, is 15 percent contained.
The communities that have been evacuated include: Idyllwild; Fern Valley; Andreas Canyon Club, south of Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs; Bonita Vista; Pine Springs; Zen Mountain Center off of Apple Canyon Road; and Trails End at the North end of Morris Ranch Road.
The San Jacinto State Park Wilderness, Forest Service Wilderness and Forest Service Campgrounds have also been evacuated.
Camp Ronald McDonald and Camp Joe Sherman have been voluntarily evacuated due to health concerns related to air quality.
According to an urgent alert Wednesday evening from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, evacuation routes out of the Idyllwild area included Highway 74 into Hemet, Highway 243 into Banning, and Highway 74 south toward Anza and Palm Desert.Highway 243 is under a soft closure from Banning South to Mountain Center; Highway 74 is under a soft closure from the Cranston Fire Station near Valle Vista east to the junction with Highway 371. A soft closure is in place to allow residents access to gather items from their homes or properties, the U.S.F.S. reported Wednesday night.
Evacuation centers have been set up at Hemet High School, 41701 E. Stetson Avenue, Hemet; Hamilton High School, 57430 Mitchell Road, Anza; and Beaumont High School, 39139 Cherry Valley Blvd, Beaumont, according to the sheriff's department.
Several homes have been destroyed in the blaze, including three mobile homes and three residences in Bonita Vista; one home there sustained damages, the U.S.F.S. reported.
In Pine Springs, one commercial building, a workshop, garage, and cabin were destroyed, the agency reported.
In addition to the above residences, there were a total of 11 outbuildings and four to six vehicles destroyed, according to the report.
"Firefighters were able to defend and save a larger number of homes," the statement read.
The blaze was sparked in Mountain Center along Highway 74 at the 243 around 1:30 p.m. Monday, according to Cal Fire spokesman Mark Annas.
The fire moved quickly through the area.
"First arriving units reported approximately five acres burning in heavy fuels at a moderate rate," Annas reported shortly after the blaze broke out Monday afternoon.
The U.S.F.S., which has taken the lead on the blaze, reported the fire "is burning in very steep and rugged terrain …."
Animal evacuation sites have been established at the San Jacinto Animal Shelter, 581 South Grand Avenue, San Jacinto. The shelter is accepting both small and large animals and can be reached at (951) 358-7387. Additionally, large and small animals can be taken to Lake Hemet Campground in Garner Valley, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued a smoke advisory for the Coachella Valley due to ash and smoke from the blaze.
According to air quality officials, residents should avoid vigorous outdoor activity, keep windows and doors closed and run an air conditioner.
Those with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should remain indoors, according to the AQMD.
A map showing current air quality conditions is available online at www3.aqmd.gov. More health tips may be seen at www.aqmd.gov.
Trail closures due to the fire include: The Pacific Crest Trail is closed from Highway 74 north to Saddle Junction. 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.
Hurkey Creek County Camground, and all of the hiking and mountain biking trails out of Hurkey creek and May Valley are closed.
Individuals or groups with overnight or advance day-use permits into the San Jacinto Wilderness are advised to call the San Jacinto Ranger Station at 909-382-2921.
There are no immediate reports of injuries caused by the blaze, but the U.S.F.S. has issued a reminder to residents: "It is always important to remind homeowners that homes and building with proper clearances and fuels abatements always give firefighters better opportunities to successfully defend and save those homes, especially when defending those homes in the face of an advancing fire front."The cause of the fire remains under investigation. --Toni McAllister
Update 10:23 p.m. July 17, 2013: Evacuees from Idyllwild, Fern Valley and other communities affected by the Mountain Fire can bring their pets to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus at 581 S. Grand Ave. in San Jacinto, a spokesman for Riverside County Animal Services said Wednesday evening.
"So far we have eight cats, two dogs, and two horses," John Welsh of Animal Services said in a phone interview from Hemet High School.
A few minutes later Welsh reported Animal Services had collected a rabbit named Snuggles, a frog named Cherry Soda Pop, and a dog named Moony, all from evacuees at Hemet High.
"Two hours ago the parking lot was empty and now it looks jam packed," Welsh said. "There are cars and buses, it looks like for kids evacuated from one of the camps up there. There are lots of people in the bleachers too. Earlier they had 20 cots set up and now it looks like about a hundred."
Welsh urged pet owners who have had to evacuate due to the Mountain Fire to call (951) 791-3720, a number which will be answered 24-7, he emphasized.
"All pets will receive animal ID numbers and pet owners will receive those numbers for their records," Animal Services officials said in a statement. "The pets will be provided food and water and proper care. There is no fee to use the shelter during the fire-evacuation period."
Animal Services personnel have been busy trying to help owners of small pets and large animals in the Mountain Fire burned area, Welsh said. He released a photo Wednesday of a singed kitten that was injured in the Mountain Fire, and cared for by Animal Services veterinarians. The photo is attached to this report.
Update 8:52 p.m. Evacuees from Idyllwild were arriving Wednesday evening at Beaumont High School's gymnasium.
The Mountain Fire swelled to more than 19,000 acres Wednesday, prompting more evacuations as incident commanders stated 4,100 homes and 100 commercial properties were considered threatened.
Update 8:23 p.m. As the fast-moving Mountain Fire prompted authorities to issue evacuation orders Wednesday evening for residents of Idyllwild and Fern Valley, the Trails End community at the top of Morris Ranch Road, southeast of Lake Hemet and off SR 74, was also placed under an "immediate evacuation notice," according to the Forest Service.
"Rapid movement of the Mountain Fire today toward Trails End in the south and Tahquitz Peak in the north prompted the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce to order an evacuation of Trails End, Idyllwild, and Fern Valley communities," Forest Service officials said in a Wednesday evening update. "4,100 residences and 100 commercial properties are currently threatened by the fire."
Mountain Fire incident commanders also issued the following statement Wednesday evening:
The fire has transitioned from a wind driven fire to a fuel and topography driven fire. This condition has caused a shift in the direction of spread necessitating the evacuation as the fire moved to the west this afternoon and presents a threat to nearby communities. With vegetation moistures at record lows fire spread has been extreme and dangerous.
This is the best choice in a difficult situation. The highest priority is to protect the lives of citizens in the immediate area of the blaze. . . .
Residents who are out of the area and need to return to evacuate family and retrieve valuables will be allowed through road closures with proper identification.
As of 8 p.m., the estimated size of the burned area and active fire was at 19,400 acres. Personnel assigned to the fire has increased to 2,985, according to the Forest Service.
Update 7:20 p.m. Evacuation orders have been issued for Idyllwild and Fern Valley east of Highway 243 due to rapid growth of the Mountain Fire, and an evacuation center has been set up at Beaumont High School.
"Beaumont High has been declared an evacuation center by the Red Cross," Beaumont Unified School District trustee David A. Sanchez tells Banning-Beaumont Patch in an email. "Beaumont Unified is currently prepping the Gym for the displaced residences of Idyllwild as I write this."
According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the Idyllwild Fire Protection District, the following areas are being evacuated:
The communities of Idyllwild and Fern Valley east of Highway 243, U.S. Forest Service campgrounds, the U. S. Forest Service wilderness, and Mt. San Jacinto State Park.
The evacuation orders do not include Pine Cove, Mountain Center, Idyllwild West or Poppet Flats.
Evacuation routes recommended by the Sheriff's Department:
- Highway 74 into Hemet
- Highway 243 into Banning
- Highway 74 South toward Anza, Palm Desert
Hard road closures were announced shortly after 6 p.m. July 17:
- Highway 74 will be closed In Hemet, no up bound traffic will be allowed.
- Highway 243 will be closed in Banning, no southbound traffic will be allowed.
- Highway 243 will be closed at Mountain Center.
- Highway 74 will be closed at Highway 371.
Evacuation Centers listed by the Sheriff's Department:
- Hamilton High School, Anza
- Hemet High School, Hemet
- Beaumont High School
Update 2:43 p.m. The Mountain Fire southeast of Idyllwild continued burning north-northeast Wednesday afternoon, a Forest Service spokesman at Lake Hemet tells Patch, and a smoke and ash advisory was issued with specific mention of the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley and the Anza area east of Murrieta.
"The fire spread is still north-northeast, and the smoke plume is leaning that way," Chris Gaulding of the Forest Service said. "It's visible for miles of course."
Smoke and ash advisories were issued Wednesday for Hemet-San Jacinto, Anza, the San Gorgonio Pass and the Coachella Valley.
"The smoke plume aloft is currently moving to the north and east," South Coast Air Quality Management District officials said in a statement. "In addition, ash from the fire is falling in portions of the Coachella Valley. Smoke and ash may affect areas of the San Jacinto Mountains surrounding the fire and the Coachella Valley."
More than 2,200 personnel were assigned to the fire, from communities including Oak Glen, Big Bear, Murrieta, Santa Barbara, Arroyo Grande, and Poppet Flats.
A contingent of 26 aircraft were supporting crews on the ground, with 16 helicopters, and 10 tanker planes, including the white-and-orange DC-10 converted for firefighting, Gaulding said.
The DC-10 and some other tankers were using the USFS Tanker Base in San Bernardino for refueling and taking on fresh retardant, Gaulding said. Other pilots were using Hemet Ryan.
Highway 243 has been reopened in all directions, and all major highways are open, according to the Forest Service.
"Motorists and residents in the mountain communities should expect to see a large amount of fire related traffic on Highway 243 and 74, especially in the Garner Valley area," USFS officials said.
Mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect for Andreas Canyon Club, south of Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, and for Bonita Vista, Pine Springs, and the Zen Mountain Center off Apple Canyon Road.
Camp Ronald McDonald and Camp Joe Sherman were voluntarily evacuated "due to health concerns related to air quality," Forest Service officials said.
In areas impacted by smoke and ash, air quality was considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups," including people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children, South Coast Air Quality Management District officials said.
The active Mountain Fire and its burned area remained estimated at 14,200 acres and it was considered 10 percent contained as of Wednesday afternoon, Gaulding said.
On Tuesday, damage assessment teams determined the Mountain Fire has so far destroyed 21 structures, including homes, mobile homes and outbuildings.
Total cost of fighting the Mountain Fire as of Wednesday morning was estimated at $4 million, according to John Miller of the San Bernardino National Forest.
Posted 8 a.m. The United States Forest Service reports Wednesday morning that the fire near Mountain Center and Idyllwild has burned an estimated 14,200 acres.
According to the latest incident report, the Mountain Fire is still estimated at 10 percent contained.
"It is currently burning east of the Mountain Center and Apple Canyon Areas," the USFS report states. "It is burning in very steep and rugged terrain in the southern portion of the San Jacinto Wilderness along the Desert Divide and in the Apple Canyon and Bonita Vista Areas.
The fire was first reported two days ago, on July 15, near the junction of Highways 243 and 74.
Highway 243 - which had been closed because of its proximity to the fire-- has been reopened. Mandatory evacuations remain in place for Camp Ronald McDonald and the Palm Springs-area housing community of Andreas Canyon Club.
As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, the following resources were assigned to the firefighting efforts:
- 2,241 firefighters
- 98 engines
- 15 helicopters
- 10 fixed wing aircraft, including a DC-10
- 73 hand-crews
- 6 water-tenders
- 10 bulldozers
- Bonita Vista - 3 mobile homes and 3 residences were destroyed, 1 residence sustained damage.
- Pine Springs - 1 commercial building, a workshop, garage, and cabin were destroyed.
- Zen Mountain Center - No damages.
- Various Surrounding Areas- 11 outbuildings and 4-6 vehicles destroyed.
"It is important to note that while homes and buildings were destroyed or damaged, firefighters were able to defend and save a larger number of homes," the Forest Service reported.
To read previous Patch coverage of the Mountain Fire click the following links:
MOUNTAIN FIRE PHOTOS: Property Damage, Watershed Damage, Firefighters, Pilots
MOUNTAIN FIRE: Now 9,000 Acres Burned, 2,200+ Personnel, 21 Structures Destroyed
MOUNTAIN FIRE UPDATE: Blaze Now Est. 2,400 Acres, Structure Damage Reported, Mandatory Evacs at Bonita Vista, Fleming Ranch, Animal Sanctuary
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