Cranston Fire now 89% contained
As of Tuesday night, the fire is 89 percent contained while remaining at 13,139 acres.
The number of residents evacuated is now 296, down from 562 evacuees Monday night. The number of structures threatened also fell, from 166 on Monday to 90 on Tuesday night.
In a news release, the USFS said crews were flown in to the wilderness to continue constructing containment line to keep the fire from reaching the town of Idyllwild. The focus continued to be to secure and hold the line. Crews also continued to mop up along the fire’s edge to prevent escape, said the release.. Southern California Edison crews continued efforts to restore power.
CALFIRE/Riverside County released initial damage inspections, which showed a total of 12 buildings were destroyed and five others damaged.
A community meeting is scheduled for Monday evening at 7 pm at the Idyllwild School located at 26700 Highway 243.
Road Closures:Highway 243 is closed from Lower Saunders Meadow Road to Highway 74 (Residents with ID can enter the closure in Banning at Wesley St). Highway 74 is closed between Borco Street in Hemet and Morris Ranch Road in Garner Valley.
Mandatory Evacuations: Mountain Center, Hurkey Creek, San Jacinto Mountain State Park, and Garner Valley north of Morris Ranch Road remain under a mandatory evacuation.
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SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Activity on the Cranston Fire diminished Saturday, said the U.S. Forest Service. Containment of the fire line was updated to 29-percent from 17-percent.
The evacuation order is lifted for Garner Valley, south of Morris Ranch Road, said a spokesperson for the Riverside Emergency Management Department. Proof of residency is required. Road access is available from Highway 74 at Highway 371. All other evacuation orders remain in effect. Residents are advised to use caution returning home.
“Great strides were made toward containment of the fire with crews mopping up to prevent escape,” stated a news release. “Caltrans worked hard to remove hazardous trees along the roads. Southern California Edison crews are working to restore power.”
Crews marked marked hazardous trees with an “X” and were using chainsaws to cut them down. Firefighters explained that even if a tree doesn’t look like it’s burning, it can be burning on the inside. Once it hollows out, it poses a risk and must be cut down to prevent it from falling and causing injury.
The USFS said an incident management team is strategizing a plan for repopulation of the communities impacted by the fire. The process will be methodical to ensure the safety of the residents and responders.
Good weather conditions and extensive resources helped crews today. “The wind dying down has been a great assistance to firefighters today and allowing our crews to really work hard today and improve containment lines,” said Kevin Tidwell, Captain Public Information Officer of the Turlock Fire Dept.
“We’ve got people from all over California and federal resources coming from all over the Western United States,” said Lee Beyer, Public Information Officer for the U.S. Forest Service.
The release on Saturday night stated that the focus of firefighting efforts remained on the northeast and southeast portions of the fire. On Saturday, crews and aircraft continued efforts to keep the flames from reaching the southern and eastern parts of Idyllwild and also Garner Valley.
The release stated that concerns remained on the northeast portion of the fire along South Ridge where the fire threatened to back through retardant lines above Idyllwild. The USFS said the focus on Saturday were those areas where aircraft and crews continued to secure and hold the line.
Power has also been returned to parts of Idyllwild. A local store owner who chose not to evacuate said the loss had been challenging. “It’s hard to know that all your produce and meat is going bad when there are so many firefighters up here that need it or locals that are staying up here that can’t get down need it,” said Sarah McCormack.
Now that power is restored, they are providing firefighters with free food and supplies from their store.
“We should be back restored by Monday with meat at least…and until then we’re giving away what we can to the firefighters and locals,” said McCormack.
Road Closures: Road access is available from Highway 74 at Highway 371.
Mandatory Evacuations: Areas currently under a mandatory evacuation include the communities of: Mountain Center, Idyllwild, Hurkey Creek, San Jacinto Mountain State Park, Fern Valley, Pine Cove, Cedar Glen and all of Garner Valley.
Evacuation Warning: This is NOT an Evacuation Order. This is an advisement only of potential Evacuation Orders should conditions change in the Paradise Corner area.
OLDER VERSION:
Fire crews continued an all-out assault on a fast-moving brush fire in the mountains above the Coachella Valley Saturday afternoon. At least 13,118 acres had burned and the fire line was 17-percent contained Saturday morning, said the U.S. Forest Service.
The fire was burning near the town of Idyllwild, near the San Bernardino National Forest in Riverside County. Roughly 6,000 people are under evacuation warnings. Two fighters suffered non-life threatening injuries, officials confirmed. A third firefighter was injured on Friday.
Click Here For a Bigger Version of the Latest Map
Investigators suspect the fire was intentionally set on Wednesday afternoon. The flames destroyed at least five homes.
CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers arrested Brandon N. McGlover, 32, of Temecula at around 12:30 p.m. near Newport Road and Scott Road south of Hemet, Cal Fire officials confirmed.
According to CHP, the Hemet Police Department and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department pulled over a vehicle that matched the description of a suspect vehicle. McGlover was arrested following an enforcement stop along with CHP. He has been charged with five counts of arson to wildland. He is being held on $1 million bail.
Read: Suspect believed to have started 2400+ acre Cranston Fire arrested
On Friday, McGlover was charged with 15 felonies related to nine separate fires. According to the Riverside County DA’s Office, the nine arson fires were all set the same day, July 25, and in the Idyllwild, Anza, and Sage areas. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and potentially faces life in prison.
Read: Man accused of starting Cranston Fire pleads not guilty to all charges
Late Friday morning, Gov. Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency in Riverside County. The emergency proclamation clears the way to provide needed state resources to battle the blaze.
Gov. Jerry Brown declares state of emergency in Riverside County due to Cranston fire
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As of Saturday afternoon, the following areas near Paradise Corner were under an evacuation warning:
Apple Canyon Area Cedar Glen Camp Scherman Girl Scout Camp Fern Valley Garner Valley Hurkey Creek Area Idyllwild Lake Hemet Area Mountain Center Community Mt San Jacinto State Park Pine Cove
A evacuation center has been setup at Banning High School (100 W. Westward Ave. Banning, CA) and Hamilton High School (57430 Mitchell Rd. Anza, CA)
Updated Cranston Fire evacuation centers
The fire was burning “with a rapid rate of spread” through timber, brush, and chaparral, according to the USFS, which reported that over 1,300 firefighters were taking part in the containment efforts.
As of Saturday afternoon, the following road closures were still in effect:
HWY 74 from the City of Hemet to HWY 371 at Paradise Corner HWY 243 from Banning to intersection of HWY 243 and HWY 74 (residents north of McGovern Rd may enter on HWY 243 from Banning)
We received word from the Silent Valley Club on 46305 Poppet Flats Rd in Banning is taking in evacuees, free of charge.
Closures have been issued for the following roads:
Highway 74 and Highway 243 are open for those leaving the area, but closed for those attempting to come up the hill.
On Saturday afternoon, recreation Closures included:
-Mt. San Jacinto State Park:
Desert View Trail Little Round Valley Campground Long Valley Trail Mountain Station Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Round Valley Campground Round Valley Trail San Jacinto Peak Trail Strawberry Junction Campground Tamarack Valley Campground Wellmans Divide Trail
-San Bernardino National Forest San Jacinto Ranger District including the Forest Service lands within the Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument:
Black Mountain Group Campground Boulder Basin Campground Cedar Springs Trail 4EI7 Dark Canyon Campground Deer Springs Campground Deer Springs Trail to Suicide Rock 3E17 to 3E33 Devil’s Slide Trail Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail 3E07 Fern Basin Campground Fobes Trail 4E04 Fuller Ridge Humber Park Hurkey Creek Campground Lake Fulmor Day Use Area Lake Hemet Picnic Area Little Round Valley Campground Marion Mountain Campground Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) N of State Highway 74 San Jacinto Wilderness Seven Pines Trail 2E13 Skunk Cabbage Trail 3E42 South Ridge Trail 3E08 Spitler Peak Trail 3E22 Stone Creek Yellow Post Sites Strawberry Creek Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout
Animal Shelters: Residents can call 951-358-7329 for direct assistance with moving animals.
Large animals can be dropped off to Dysart Equestrian Park – 2101 W Victory Ave in Banning. Small Animals can also be dropped off at Dysart Equestrian Park – 2101 W. Victory Ave. in Banning. Animal Services will transfer them to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus. San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus at 581 S. Grand in San Jacinto is accepting all animals, both domestic and large and small animals. Coachella Valley Animal Campus located at 72050 Pet Land Place in Thousand Palms is open for small animals only.
Air Quality: The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued a smoke advisory for the Cranston Fire.
KESQ News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2 has continuing team coverage from the scene. Join us live this weekend at 6, 6:30, 10 and 11 p.m. for the very latest information.
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