Two Riverside-Area Wildfires Prompt Evacuations

Two Riverside County wildfires forced evacuations in Jurupa Valley, Riverside and the Homeland area after both fires broke out on Tuesday and spread in dry, windy conditions. CAL FIRE listed the Bain Fire at 1,375 acres and 25% containment as of 5:58 a.m. Wednesday, while the Verona Fire was listed at 439 acres as of 1:02 a.m. Wednesday. Both fires remained under investigation, according to CAL FIRE incident pages. Local agencies issued evacuation orders and warnings, opened shelters and closed roads as crews worked overnight. ### Where are the Bain and Verona fires burning? The Bain Fire started at 11:24 a.m. Tuesday near Limonite Avenue and Bain Street in Jurupa Valley, according to CAL FIRE. The fire burned in the Santa Ana River bottom between Jurupa Valley and Riverside, an area of heavy vegetation that pushed flames toward homes as winds carried smoke across nearby communities. The Verona Fire started at 12:20 p.m. (fire.ca.gov) Tuesday near Verona Road and Juniper Springs Road in the unincorporated Green Acres and Homeland area, CAL FIRE said. The agency described the blaze Tuesday afternoon as burning at a “moderate to dangerous rate of spread” in heavy fuels and said additional air and ground resources were requested. ### How large were the fires by Wednesday morning? (fire.ca.gov) CAL FIRE’s Bain Fire page showed 1,375 acres and 25% containment in its latest update early Wednesday. Earlier Tuesday night, the agency had reported the same fire at 1,375 acres with evacuation changes still underway. CAL FIRE’s Verona Fire page showed 439 acres in Riverside County in its latest posted update. The incident page did not list containment in the excerpt available through the official site preview, but it said evacuations were still in progress. (fire.ca.gov) ### Which evacuation zones were under orders or warnings? CAL FIRE said Bain Fire evacuation orders were in effect Wednesday morning for zones JUR-0180, RIV-0182, JUR-0181-A, JUR-0185 and RIV-0186. (fire.ca.gov) Evacuation warnings remained in place for multiple nearby zones, including RIV-0312, RIV-0313, RIV-0319, NOR-0305B, JUR-0176A, JUR-0181-B, JUR-0183, JUR-0095, JUR-0097, RIV-0306, RIV-0307, RIV-0309 and RIV-0310. (fire.ca.gov) CAL FIRE said Verona Fire evacuation orders covered zones RVC-1187-B, RVC-1285, RVC-1287, HMT-1287, HMT-1288 and RVC-1286. Warnings remained in place for RVC-1185, RVC-1186, RVC-1187-A, HMT-1290, HMT-1291-B, HMT-1289 and HMT-1187-A. ### Were there injuries or road closures? ABC7 reported that at least five people were injured across the two fires on Tuesday, including four civilians hurt in the Bain Fire area. (fire.ca.gov) Three residents suffered smoke inhalation, and another person suffered traumatic injuries and was taken to a Riverside hospital, the station reported, citing scene reports. (fire.ca.gov) Arlington Avenue between Crestview and Western was closed on the Riverside side of the river bottom because of the Bain Fire, according to CAL FIRE. ABC7 also reported closures at Arlington Avenue, Mitchell Avenue and Arlington Avenue at Substation Road/Crestview Drive. ### Where could evacuees go and where were updates posted? CAL FIRE listed the La Sierra Senior Center at 5215 La Sierra Avenue, Building A, in Riverside, and the Jurupa Community Center at 4810 Pedley Road in Jurupa Valley as Bain Fire evacuation shelters. (abc7.com) The City of Riverside’s Office of Emergency Management separately told residents on May 19 to follow public safety directions and monitor official updates. (fire.ca.gov) South Coast Air Quality Management District advisories warned that smoke from the Bain and Verona fires, along with other regional wildfires, could affect parts of Riverside and surrounding counties. CAL FIRE said residents should continue checking its incident pages and evacuation zone maps for changes, and the Bain Fire page noted that map displays had experienced technical issues during some Tuesday updates. (fire.ca.gov)