Wildfire Burns 10,000 Acres in San Jacinto Mountains & Injures 3

A wildfire, nicknamed “Silver Fire,” has expanded to 10,000 acres (16 square miles) in the San Jacinto Mountains in Southern California. 1,500 people in the area have been evacuated from their homes, including the communities Twin Pines, Poppet Flats, Vista Grande and Edna Valley. Three people have been injured in the fire, and its cause is still unclear.

The evacuated individuals include 700 people from residential communities and 800 people from an RV resort named Silent Valley Club. Some were unable to evacuate via highway routes that were closed due to the fire. State Highway 243 was closed; it connects the communities in the mountains to Banning.

500 firefighters, five helicopters, four air tankers and over 70 fire engines have been battling the fire. Fire Captain Nate Herring explained, “We set a low intensity fire along the edge that runs up the hill. We can control how fast it goes and where it goes.” During the early morning hours on Thursday, firefighters set a fire line on Old Banning Idyllwild Road.

Two firefighters have been injured, and one civilian was badly burned. 15 buildings have been damaged. A spokesperson for Cal Fire, Daniel Berlant, said, “It has been a very fast moving fire. It exploded this afternoon, really due to the fact that conditions are critically dry across California.” The fire was so fast that it burned through 5,000 acres within four hours.

The fire started on Wednesday afternoon. It is located approximately 90 miles east of Los Angeles and 20 miles west of Palm Springs in Riverside County. The Palm Springs area has not been evacuated and is safe. The Palm Springs International Airport experienced delays on Wednesday due to smoke from the fire impeding visibility.

A similar wildfire occurred in the San Jacinto Mountains last month. 6,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Idyllwild and Fern Valley, and the fire burned an area of 42 square miles. It destroyed 16 structures and seven homes.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a fire due to the negligent actions of another party, call AA Accident Attorneys today to speak with a personal injury lawyer. We offer a free evaluation of your case and we will not charge you for your case until we win. You may be entitled to thousands of dollars for your pain and suffering, expensive medical bills, damages to your property and wages you lost if you spent time away from work, or if you will have to spend time away from work.

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