Two fast-moving brush fires tore through Jurupa Valley and the Homeland area of Riverside County on Tuesday, triggering evacuations, sending several people to hospitals, and briefly grounding firefighting aircraft because of civilian drones spotted over the flames.
Fire crews said gusty winds drove the blazes up the hillsides and toward nearby homes, turning a hot, windy day into a scramble to protect neighborhoods and get shelters open for people forced to leave.
The Bain Fire was reported at about 11:22 a.m. near the Santa Ana River bottom in the Mira Linda area and quickly pushed into surrounding hills, leaving four civilians injured and transported to hospitals, Capt. John Clingingsmith Jr. of Cal Fire’s Riverside Unit told the Los Angeles Times. Clingingsmith said aircraft were briefly grounded after three civilian drones were seen in the airspace, and that the pause to verify the skies lasted roughly 15 minutes. At the pace the fire was moving, he told the outlet, even a 10-minute break in air support could alter how the blaze behaves.
State incident listings showed the Bain and Verona fires growing to sizes in the low hundreds of acres as crews tried to slow their advance, with both incidents marked as active and only lightly contained early Tuesday evening, according to Cal Fire. The Verona Fire was reported in the Juniper Springs area, and officials assigned multiple engines, hand crews and aircraft to both fires as mutual-aid agencies responded. Fire managers said they were concentrating on building and strengthening containment lines while keeping a close eye on shifting winds.
Evacuations And Shelters
Evacuation orders and warnings covered several zones in and around Jurupa Valley and the Homeland community. Riverside opened a shelter at La Sierra Senior Center, 5215 La Sierra Ave., and authorities opened another reception point at West Valley High School, 3401 Mustang Way, the local station reported.
Road closures and select mandatory evacuation orders pushed residents toward those centers while firefighters worked to shield clusters of homes along Arlington and Western avenues. Officials urged anyone in an evacuation zone to follow local directions, leave promptly when told and rely on official alert systems for the latest updates.
Drone Incursions Force Aircraft To Stand Down
Officials said aerial operations were paused for about 15 minutes while teams confirmed the skies were clear after the drone sightings. Fire commanders warned that even a short stand-down in the middle of a wind-driven incident can change how a fire plays out on the ground.
Federal and land-management agencies have long stressed that unauthorized drones over wildfires can force suppression aircraft to halt. The U.S. Forest Service notes in its "If You Fly, We Can't" campaign that unapproved unmanned aircraft flights can lead incident commanders to suspend aerial drops and that violators may face civil penalties and enforcement. Local spokespeople repeated the now-familiar warning that people should never fly drones anywhere near an active fire.
What Officials Say Comes Next
Riverside and Cal Fire officials said investigators are still working to determine how each blaze started, even as crews continued to shore up containment lines and knock back the most active flanks, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Residents in evacuation areas were advised to keep monitoring official channels for notices on when they can return home, as well as for any changes to shelter locations and road closures as conditions evolve. Authorities also asked anyone with video, photos or information that might help the investigation to contact law enforcement or fire investigators through the published tip lines.
