Silver Fire now 70% contained, 19,000 acres burned (Saturday)
The four-day-old Silver Fire, which has destroyed 26homes, injured 10 people and forced hundreds from their residences, grew to19,000 acres on Saturday morning, but fire crews were able to make good progress containingthe blaze while some residents were allowed back into their neighborhoods.
The blaze, which broke out for unknown reasons on Poppet Flats Roadsouth of Banning at 2:05 p.m. Wednesday, was 70 percent contained as of latetoday.
At 6 p.m., the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department lifted evacuationorders for the communities of Snow Creek, Cabazon, Mt. Edna and Poppet Flats.Evacuation orders for Twin Pines and Silent Valley remained in effect, andHighway 243 was closed north of Poppet Flats Road to Wesley Street in Banning.
More than 2,100 firefighters were deployed on the fire lines, along withabout 200 engines and eight helicopters.
A civilian injured Wednesday in the area where the fire started wastaken by air to a burn center suffering from severe burns, Riverside CountyFire Department Chief John Hawkins said.
Two firefighters suffered heat exhaustion and were ordered to be offduty for 72 hours, Hawkins told reporters at a Thursday afternoon newsconference in Beaumont. Information on the extent of the injuries to threeother firefighters was not specified.
Fire officials said 26 homes, one commercial structure and 21 outbuildings were destroyed and two homes were damaged.
Evacuation centers were set up at Hemet and Beaumont high schools. TheSan Jacinto Valley Animal Campus was opened for evacuated pets.
Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in Riverside County inresponse to the fire, freeing state resources to aid in the battle.
Hawkins said that on Wednesday, the fire spread rapidly from its pointof origin near Wolfskill Truck Trail and Old Idyllwild Road, destroying homesin Twin Pines. The fire marched nine miles from its starting point, and movedeast toward Snow Creek in the Cabazon area, he said.
Smoke from the fire was reported in downtown Palm Springs and around theCoachella Valley in the middle of the week. The South Coast Air QualityManagement District warned that children, seniors, people with heart or lungdisease and other vulnerable groups should minimize outdoor activity in areaswhere smoke can be seen or smelled.
