Bain Fire 83% contained after burning nearly 1,500 acres in Jurupa

CAL FIRE said late Friday that the Bain Fire in Jurupa Valley had reached 83% containment after burning 1,497 acres in Riverside County. The fire started at about 11:24 a.m. on May 19 near Limonite Avenue and Bain Street in the Santa Ana River bottom, according to the agency’s incident page. Riverside County’s all-hazards incident management team remained in command as firefighters worked the remaining perimeter. The cause was still under investigation as of the latest official update. ### Where is the fire now? Jurupa Valley remained the center of the incident footprint, with the fire burning near Limonite Avenue and Bain Street on the edge of the Santa Ana River bottom. CAL FIRE listed the Bain Fire at 1,497 acres and 83% containment in a Friday morning status reflected by several local media updates. Friday night, CAL FIRE’s own incident page showed a later update of 89% containment while keeping the acreage at 1,497. The shift in containment underscores that the perimeter was being secured in stages even after the fire’s forward spread had largely stopped. ### What does 83% contained mean here? CAL FIRE uses containment to describe how much of a fire’s perimeter has control lines expected to hold, not whether the fire is fully out. That means crews can still be working hot spots, flare-ups inside the fire area and unburned pockets near the line even as the containment percentage rises. The City of Riverside said on May 22 that evacuation orders and warnings tied to the Bain Fire within the city had been lifted, while warning residents they could still see or smell drift smoke. Officials said crews would remain in the area for cleanup and safety monitoring over the following days. ### How many firefighters are still assigned? Riverside County fire crews and mutual-aid resources kept a large force on the incident through Saturday morning. Local reports citing fire officials said 528 personnel were assigned to the fire, along with engines, hand crews and aircraft used earlier in the week as the blaze spread through dense vegetation. More than 500 firefighters remained a notable part of the response even after evacuation orders were lifted. The staffing level reflected the work still required to hold lines, cool hot spots and patrol for rekindles in heavy fuels along the river bottom. ### Were there injuries or damage? KTLA and FOX 11, citing fire officials, reported four civilian injuries and one firefighter injury during the earlier phase of the fire. Early television and local reports also said structures were threatened and some were damaged as flames pushed through the area on May 19. The fire prompted evacuation orders and warnings in parts of Jurupa Valley and Riverside as it grew rapidly on the first day. By May 22, those orders and warnings had been lifted, according to city and local television updates. ### Why are investigators still involved? CAL FIRE continued to list the Bain Fire’s cause as under investigation in its latest incident update. Fire agencies routinely keep causes open until investigators complete scene work, witness interviews and any equipment or origin analysis tied to the ignition point. May 19 was also the date multiple outlets reported that drones had interfered with firefighting aircraft during the response. USA Today reported that unauthorized drone activity temporarily hampered suppression efforts, a recurring issue that can force aircraft to pull back. ### What happens next on the line? CAL FIRE said patrol and mop-up operations would continue around the Bain Fire perimeter as containment increases. Those operations typically involve extinguishing heat near control lines, checking for spot fires and strengthening access routes for engines and hand crews. The next formal milestone is a full containment update on CAL FIRE’s incident page, which remained active on May 24. Investigators are also expected to continue examining the fire’s cause while local agencies monitor smoke and any remaining hot spots in Jurupa Valley.