HEMET, California- A massive wildfire broke out in Hemet and spread to 2,700 acres today killing two people, and injuring others, while several properties worth millions were destroyed. The Fairview Fire destroyed at least seven homes and other structures. Learn more here.
Evacuations were ordered for thousands of houses in the area. The initial plan applied to the area south of Thornton Avenue, north of Polly Butte Road, west of Fairview Avenue, and east of State Street. The Riverside County Fire Department said that the blaze was 5% contained.
The evacuation scheme was later expanded to include the areas south of Stetson, north of Cactus Valley Road, west of Fairview, and east of State Street.
Fire in Hemet Started in the area of Fairview Avenue & Bautista Road
The fire in Hemet today was first reported around 3:30 PM in the area of Fairview Avenue and Bautista Road. Initially, it was estimated at 20 acres burning in light to medium vegetation but with the long-term drought and this week’s heat wave, it had spread rapidly to around 500 acres by 5 PM and grew to around 2,702 acres by 11 PM.
The Riverside County Fire Department is working very hard to put off the fire. Firefighters are currently tackling 53 large fires across the United States right now due to the record-breaking heatwave.
The temperature was hitting around 104 degrees in the Hemet area Monday afternoon.
Care Centers are set up across the area to help the evacuees
Thousands of people were made to evacuate their homes as the Fairview fire continued to grow rapidly. Multiple care centers have been set up to help the evacuees.
The first one was established at Tahquitz High School, 4425 Titan Trail in Hemet. The Hemet Unified School District said schools would be closed on Tuesday because of the fire.
#FairviewFIRE Evacuation ORDER EXPANSION: South of Stetson, North of Cactus Valley Road, West of Fairview Avenue, East of State Street. Interactive map: https://t.co/0jII9tEIFP
— CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department (@CALFIRERRU) September 6, 2022
A care and reception site has been established at Tahquitz High School: 4425 Titan Trail, Hemet pic.twitter.com/PLdMheSN26
Several footages are surfacing the web showing multiple residential structures on fire.
Two People Killed and several others injured in Fairview Fire in Hemet
Till now, the Fairview fire has killed two people in Hemet while another one is critically injured. Several other people have received burn injuries while many are hospitalized due to breathing issues and other high-temperature-associated issues
The police have sent the bodies of the deceased for autopsy. The identity of the two people killed in the wildfire in Hemet today is unknown at the time of writing.
What caused the fire in Hemet today?
The exact cause of the fire in Hemet today is unknown at the moment. The firefighters, police, and first responders are currently focusing on taking the situation under control and saving lives.
People are speculating that the wildfire started after the brushing of trees and then spread rapidly due to the record-breaking heatwave and drought in the area. Many are claiming harsh climate changes to be the reason for the wildfire.
We’ll keep you updated with further developments on this story.