California’s ‘Fairview Fire’ Burns Over Hundreds of Acres

A massive California wildfire spanning hundreds of acres engulfed several homes in flames on Monday as fire crews rushed to control the rapidly growing blaze.

The bushfire, dubbed the « Fairview Fire » because of its proximity to Fairview Avenue in the town of Hemet, began shortly after 2 p.m., the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department said in an update. .

Nearby residents have been ordered to evacuate, the department said. in a Twitter post.

About 1,500 homes were originally in the evacuation order, with that directive expanding to other areas as the evening progressed, KABC reported.

CBS Los Angeles also reported that several structures had been completely engulfed in flames, including half a dozen homes.

One person was also taken to hospital with burns to his arms, back and face. Fire crews rescued several victims trapped by the flames, the television network reported.

Captain Richard Cordova said in a briefing with wisps of smoke in the background as the fire began to spread rapidly before firefighters even arrived on the scene. First responders were going door to door to urge people to flee the threatened area, he said.

None of the approximately 200 firefighters who battled the blaze have been injured so far, he said.

The wildfire has spread to more than 600 acres and was at zero percent, Cordova said shortly after 6 p.m. local time. The planes above were dropping fire retardant and water, Cordova added.

The rapidly growing blaze comes as the region faces a prolonged drought and scorching temperatures of over 100 degrees, KABC-TV reported.

« It’s in some remote areas where it’s difficult for firefighters, especially in this extreme heat that we’ve been experiencing for the past few weeks or even months, » Cordova said in the update.