Brush fire in Riverside County that triggered evacuations is 90% contained
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- The Yearling fire commenced at the 8500 block of Yearling Way in the Jurupa Valley community of Pedley on Wednesday around 4 p.m.
- The fire grew to about 38 acres in about an hour and was 90% contained as of Thursday afternoon.
A vegetation fire that ignited in Riverside County on Wednesday afternoon and damaged at least one home is 90% contained as of Thursday afternoon, according to authorities.
The Yearling fire was reported in the 8500 block of Yearling Way in Pedley around 4 p.m. on Wednesday and grew to about 38 acres in about an hour before firefighters first started to contain the blaze around 7 p.m.
Riverside County Fire Capt. John Clingingsmith Jr. said 110 fire personnel battled the blaze, using 30 engines, four hand crews, two dozers and one water tender truck.
Three people were taken to a hospital for possible smoke inhalation. Clingingsmith said he was unaware of any destroyed structures and a damage assessment team was still investigating the total damage.
“We’re still getting a complete picture and should have a full report soon,” Clingingsmith said Thursday afternoon.
One resident told The Times that his home was damaged in the fire.
The area from Van Buren Boulevard and Jurupa Road east to Stone Avenue toward Stone Elementary School and south to Paisano Way and Limonita Avenue was under mandatory evacuation orders that were lifted on Wednesday evening. All closed roads were reopened by early Thursday morning.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, Clingingsmith said.
A Riverside County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson said a person was detained in connection with the fire but was released after investigators determined they were not involved.
Jurupa Valley resident Paul Rojas said his home was damaged but is still standing thanks to fast work from fire personnel and friends.
Two fires erupted in Southern California on Friday as Santa Ana winds pushed flames toward homes, triggering evacuations in Los Angeles and Riverside counties.
“It was Cal Fire, Corona Fire and my three neighbors who fought the fire with our hoses,” said Rojas, who has lived in the area for over a decade.
Rojas was returning home around 4:30 p.m. after picking up his daughters from their schools when he noticed parts of his home and property were on fire.
Although he saved his home and work studio, he said he lost a power washer, an emergency backup generator, a water tank and a log splitter gifted by his father, who died in 2017.
The Riverside County Springs fire, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds up to 50 mph on Friday, did not grow overnight.
He said he ran to save a trailer that was ablaze and even caught fire himself before firefighters doused him and the vehicle.
Rojas said he also saved his vintage 1957 Chevy Bel Air.
“We went through seven fire extinguishers but we saved the car, which was on a lift,” he said. “My fence was damaged too, but I was able to stay and fight the fires thanks to a respirator I had.”
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