The once-fast-moving Bain fire, burning in Riverside and Jurupa Valley, was 25% contained by Wednesday morning, May 20, as firefighters kept its size in check overnight, authorities said.
The Bain fire, which has left four people injured and started in the area of Limonite Avenue and Bain Street in Jurupa Valley, was first reported about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 19, and was propelled by eastward winds that initially made conditions difficult for firefighters on the ground, Capt. John Clingingsmith with Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department said.
Firefighters were aided by aircraft throughout the night, and as of 6 a.m. Wednesday they had two helicopters and two water tenders assigned to the fire, along with 22 engines and four hand crews, totaling 100 firefighters in all, according to Cal Fire.
The fire’s size remained at 1,375 acres.
Evacuation orders and warnings for Jurupa Valley and Riverside remained in place, according to Cal Fire.
The fire spread quickly, leaving residents scrambling to pack anything they could before evacuating. Some structures were damaged by the fire Tuesday, and the Western Riverside Animal Shelter was threatened, with flames approaching to within a few feet — but firefighters extinguished them.
Of the injured, one suffered a traumatic injury, officials said, while three others were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
Aircraft were briefly kept away during the firefight because at least three community members were flying drones, Clingingsmith said. The aircraft were stranded for a half hour total.
Firefighters will be faced with another challenging day, as temperatures were anticipated from the mid-80s to low 90s in the Inland Empire with dry conditions — humidity is anticipated between 10% and 15%, according to the National Weather Service.
Containment is the percentage of the fire’s perimeter that officials believe won’t bulge, because of firefighters’ work or natural barriers, such as a water body or rocks.
For the latest on evacuations: fire.ca.gov/incidents
Verona fire
The Verona fire, burning in unincorporated Riverside County near Homeland and Hemet, was also held in check overnight, holding at 439 charred acres into Wednesday morning, May 20.
Firefighters had not yet achieved any reported containment of the fire, which started north of Homeland early Tuesday afternoon, officials said. The fire destroyed outbuildings on Tuesday, threatened homes and prompted evacuations, including at the Four Seasons, a gated retirement community.
The fire was first reported about 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, on a hillside around Juniper Springs and Juniper Flats roads north of Highway 74 and moved at “a dangerous rate of spread” initially, Cal Fire officials said.
An evacuation shelter was available at West Valley High School, 3401 Mustang Way in Hemet, and an animal shelter was designated for large and small animals at the San Jacinto Animal Shelter, 581 S. Grand Ave.
The cause of both fires was under investigation.