Two people died and another was injured as a brush fire spread rapidly through the city of Hemet in Riverside County Monday, destroying several homes, Cal Fire said.
The Fairview Fire, which was first reported around 2 p.m., had burned approximately 2,000 acres and was listed as 5% contained as of 10 p.m.
Seven structures were destroyed and several others were damaged, Cal Fire tweeted.
Evacuations were ordered for approximately 1,500 homes in the area south of Stetson Avenue, north of Cactus Valley Road, and east of State Street.
Many people were heading towards their homes until they were turned away due to the growing flames.
“My daughter called me on Discord and she was like, mom, there is fire,” Krystyl Zook, a Hemet resident, said.
Her daughter called her multiple times, crying because she was unsure what to do. Zook comforted her daughter over the phone and encouraged her to go to their neighbor’s house until she got home. “I haven’t called her to tell her that I can’t get to her. “
As the flames drew closer to homes, an evacuation center was established at Tahquitz High School at 4425 Titan Trail.
Christine Jensen was told by police officers that she had to leave her home as evacuation orders were issued. She didn’t know how close the fire was to her house but could see a lot of smoke from her residence.
As she figures out her next steps, Jensen plans to rest for the night.
“I’m waiting for animal control to take my cats and then I’ll find myself a bed,” Jensen said.
Tap here for an interactive evacuations map
Helicopters and planes were battling the fire above as ground crews attempted to protect structures and dig containment lines below.
Firefighting crews are not only contending with challenging terrain, smoke, and flames from the fire but also triple-digit temperatures. The mercury reached 105 degrees in Hemet Monday afternoon as Southern California endured a prolonged heat wave.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.