Federal assistance mobilized for Bain Fire; evacuations threaten Jurupa Valley, Norco

California secured federal firefighting assistance on May 20 for the Bain Fire in Riverside County as evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect for parts of Jurupa Valley, Riverside and Norco. FEMA said its Region 9 administrator authorized federal funds to help the state combat the fire. CAL FIRE said the blaze started at 11:24 a.m. on May 19 near Limonite Avenue and Bain Street in Jurupa Valley. By 8:54 p.m. on May 20, the fire had burned 1,456 acres and was 34% contained. ### Where is the Bain Fire burning, and when did it start? CAL FIRE said the Bain Fire started on May 19 near Limonite Avenue and Bain Street in Jurupa Valley, in Riverside County. The agency listed the cause as under investigation. A May 19 status report from CAL FIRE said the fire had reached 100 acres by 2:07 p.m. and had no containment at that point. By 8:08 a.m. on May 20, CAL FIRE reported the fire at 1,375 acres and 25% containment. ### How large is the fire now, and what is the latest containment figure? CAL FIRE said on its incident page that the Bain Fire was 1,456 acres and 34% contained as of 8:54 p.m. on May 20. A separate update posted at 8:53 p.m. said crews would continue working overnight to maintain control lines and establish containment around the fire perimeter. The same incident page said the fire had grown from about 20 acres early on May 19, when a larger air and ground response was requested. CAL FIRE also said Arlington Avenue between Crestview and Western was closed on the Riverside city side of the river bottom. ### Which communities are under evacuation orders or warnings? CAL FIRE said evacuation orders were in effect for zones JUR-0180, JUR-0181-A and RIV-0182 as of the latest incident page update. The agency said evacuation warnings covered additional zones in Jurupa Valley, Norco and Riverside, including NOR-0305-B and several RIV- and JUR-designated areas. Riverside County’s Emergency Management Department said on May 20 that the Bain Fire was affecting Jurupa Valley, Riverside and Norco. The county said evacuation orders and warnings had been issued and urged residents to follow directions from public safety officials. CAL FIRE also said some evacuation changes had already been made on the night of May 19. In an update posted at 11:12 p.m., the agency said several Riverside zones were downgraded from orders to warnings, while other warning zones returned to normal status. ### What federal help was approved? FEMA said on May 20 that it approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Bain Fire in Riverside County. The agency said the authorization allows federal funds to assist California in combating the fire. FEMA’s wildfire grant program says the assistance is available to states, local governments and tribal governments for the mitigation, management and control of fires that threaten to become major disasters. California’s Office of Emergency Services separately announced that federal assistance had been secured to support the response. ### Where can evacuees go, and how are officials pushing updates? Riverside County said reception and care sites were opened at the La Sierra Community Center, 5215 La Sierra in Riverside, and the Jurupa Community Center, 4810 Pedley Road in Jurupa Valley. The county said those sites were open to people who evacuated because of the Bain Fire. CAL FIRE’s incident page listed Skyview Event Center, 5257 Event Center in Jurupa Valley, as an evacuation shelter. Riverside County also told residents to sign up for Alert RivCo and download the Genasys Protect mobile app to receive address-specific emergency information. ### Which agencies are on the fire line? CAL FIRE’s May 20 morning update said 100 personnel were assigned to the fire, along with 22 engines, two water tenders, two helicopters, two dozers and four hand crews. The agency said cooperating departments included Ontario Fire Department, CAL FIRE San Bernardino, CAL FIRE San Diego and Riverside City Fire Department. CAL FIRE said resources would continue working through the night on May 20. The next public updates are being posted to the agency’s Bain Fire incident page, while Riverside County is carrying evacuation and shelter information on its Active Events page.