‘Please leave.’ Chief warns those ignoring Cranston Fire evacuation orders

The Chief of Idyllwild Fire Protection District Patrick Reitz has a strong message for those staying behind despite widespread evacuation orders: leave now.

“Folks, we’ve issued an evacuation order. We’ve asked you to leave. We’re telling you for your own safety and the safety of our crews. Please, leave.”

Staying behind

There are “some individuals who did not heed, will not heed, or refuse to heed the evacuation order,” Reitz said Friday, as the Cranston Fire grew to 11,500 acres.

Chief Reitz tells News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 he does not have a definitive number of those who remain in their neighborhoods during the threatening Cranston Fire, however, each person who remains is concerning to firefighters.

“If something happens.. it pulls resources off the incident… which only prolongs getting everybody back home.” Dealing with an avoidable emergency at the same time firefighters are battling a wildfire also puts first responders at risk, the Chief warned. Two firefighters have already been hurt in the Cranston fire.

Memories of danger

Chief Reitz recalled an incident during the Mountain Fire, five years ago. It happened in a community near Idyllwild, he said, when someone refused to leave and planned to use a garden hose to protect a home. That person “got surrounded by fire, called 911 in a panic, and had to pull a large number of crews off of the fire to go in and work a rescue and bring that person out.”

The Cranston Fire continues to grow, and additional evacuation orders can come at any time, so Reitz had a warning for those who may need to leave soon. “For those of you who have received evacuation warnings: Please prep for evacuation. Get your plan, if you don’t already have it. Know where you’re going to go, and be ready to go at a moment’s notice.”

Wanting to help

Reitz says many people who don’t leave are trying to help. He said some people are working to provide snacks and water for first responders, but he says that’s not needed. “Our folks have resources.”

Others want to help battle the flames, but Chief Reitz says,”We can’t take walk-ons.”

“If you are not a trained firefighter, equipped as a firefighter, under the incident, then you have no business being inside the incident,” Reitz told reporter Jeremy Chen. For those who do want to help, Reitz recommended doing it off the mountain. “Please consider the red cross or your local food bank for donations.” MORE: How you can help Cranston Fire evacuees

Evacuation Warning

Paradise Corner

Evacuations

The Riverside Sheriff’s station(951-791-3400) is conducting evacuations of these areas:

Apple Canyon Area Cedar Glen Camp Scherman Girlscout 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).

Road Closures

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

Recreation Closures

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

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 animals. All animals (large and small) also accepted at San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus. 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.