The Grand Fire roared through the hills above Tonner Canyon in Chino Hills on Wednesday evening, triggering mandatory evacuations and shutting down key roads as firefighters scrambled to keep the flames from reaching homes. By nightfall, the blaze had scorched about 30 acres and was pushing north toward foothill neighborhoods. Helicopters pounded the flames with water drops while ground crews carved out containment lines, as evacuees gathered at an emergency shelter. In the early going, no injuries or damaged structures were reported.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the fire was first reported just before 7:15 p.m. near Grand Avenue and Pleasant Hill Drive, close to Grand Avenue Park. Incident commanders quickly ramped up the response as the flames moved toward homes, pulling in additional engines, aircraft and personnel. Evacuation orders were issued for Mill Stream Drive, Falling Star Lane, Valley View Lane and Sweet Grass Lane.
CAL FIRE listed the fire at roughly 30 acres and warned it had the potential to grow to about 200 acres as crews worked under a unified command with the Chino Valley Fire District. The agency reported road closures at Chino Hills Parkway at Falling Star and Country Walk and said more resources had been requested. Investigators were still working to determine what sparked the blaze.
Evacuations, Road Closures and Shelter
In a city alert, the City of Chino Hills ordered mandatory evacuations for neighborhoods south of Grand Avenue and urged residents to grab essentials, medications and pets before leaving. The notice specifically named Mill Stream Drive, Falling Star Lane, Valley View Lane and Sweet Grass Lane, and announced the opening of an emergency shelter at the Chino Hills Community Center at 14250 Peyton Drive. Deputies and officers staffed roadblocks to guide traffic and assist anyone who needed help getting out.
Weather and Fire Risk
Fire weather was not doing crews any favors. The Los Angeles Times reported that the National Weather Service had called for winds of 15 to 30 mph, with isolated gusts up to 50 mph across inland Southern California, and warned of elevated fire danger later in the week. Those gusts, CAL FIRE noted, can loft embers into nearby neighborhoods and complicate aerial firefighting efforts.
No injuries or structural damage had been reported in the initial response, according to CBS Los Angeles, and crews were expected to stay on scene through the night. Officials urged residents to steer clear of the area while firefighters work and to follow official channels for the latest on evacuation orders and road closures. We will update this story as agencies release more information.
