Rosa fire burns 1,200 acres in Riverside County, prompting evacuation orders
The blaze, dubbed the Rosa fire, was reported around 12:30 p.m. on Highway 74 east of the Santa Rosa Truck Trail in the mountains between Palm Desert and Anza, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Three-hundred firefighting personnel were deployed to the incident, which was burning at a moderate rate of spread and was 0% contained Monday night.
Evacuation orders were issued for households in and near the communities of Ribbonwood, Pinyon Pines and Alpine Village, while evacuation warnings were issued in Pinyon Crest. A map of affected areas can be seen here.
Care and reception centers were established at the Anza Community Center and the Palm Desert Community Center, while animal evacuation centers were opened at the San Jacinto Animal Shelter and Coachella Valley Animal Campus.
Forty-nine engines, five dozers, four water tenders and two helicopters were assigned to combat the blaze, according to Cal Fire.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued an air quality advisory for the Coachella Valley and parts of the Santa Clarita Valley as a result of smoke from the Rosa fire as well as the 72,460-acre Gifford fire in the Los Padres National Forest and the 348-acre Gold fire in the San Bernardino National Forest. Residents are advised to avoid or limit outdoor activity.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
19 hours ago
- New York Post
‘Extreme' California wildfire rages in hot weather — with only 21% of the inferno contained, threatening thousands
A southern California wildfire that has threatened thousands of homes is still only 21% contained, officials said Saturday, warning of the blaze's 'extreme' behavior amid low humidity and summer heat. The Gifford Fire, which started Aug. 1, has prompting widespread evacuation orders and scorched more than 104,000 acres across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, where evacuation orders and warnings are in place. Nearly 3,600 firefighters are battling the flames amid hot, dry conditions. Advertisement 3 The Gifford Fire continues to burn through thousands of acres, becoming the state's largest blaze of the year and threatening thousands of homes and other areas near Los Padres National Forest in the central regions. AP 'We have hot weather, and we have low relative humidity,' said Santa Barbara County Fire Department Capt. Scott Safechuck. 'So, we expect extreme fire behavior.' Advertisement Gifford's destruction has already surpassed last month's Madre Fire in San Luis Obispo County, which burned 80,000 acres before containment. Nearly 100 hand crews, 267 engines, 98 water tenders, 21 helicopters, and 142 bulldozers have been deployed, according to The Fresno Bee. 3 Approximately 3,600 firefighters are battling the blaze. AP 3 The fire, which started on Aug. 1, has resulted in massive evacuation orders across the state. REUTERS Advertisement Flames continue to burn inside Los Padres National Forest, where officials reported 'two large smoke columns' Saturday, with the largest rising from an area crews have fought to control for two days. Meanwhile, the Canyon Fire, which started Thursday afternoon, has burned more than 5,000 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. This was still just 28% contained on Saturday morning, but officials have called off the evacuation order in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Advertisement Officials lifted some evacuation orders Friday as 400 firefighters worked under cooler conditions and with air support to slow the spread. The causes of the California wildfires are still under investigation. With Post wires
NBC News
a day ago
- NBC News
Evacuation orders lifted as California's Canyon Fire reaches 28% containment
Evacuation orders were lifted Friday evening in parts of Southern California as firefighters battling the Canyon Fire made progress taming the blaze. The fire has scorched an estimated 5,400 acres and is currently 28% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). The evacuation orders, which affected thousands of residents in Ventura County and Los Angeles County, were downgraded to warnings, meaning there's still a potential threat to life and property. The Canyon Fire is burning in a mountainous area north of Los Angeles and has been spreading toward the community of Castaic in L.A. County. Ventura County officials said Friday that firefighters were making 'good progress in suppressing the blaze, aided by favorable weather conditions and the continued use of firefighting aircraft making repeated water and retardant drops to slow the fire's advance and support crews on the ground.' Still, the fire remains an active threat and continues to spread further east into L.A. County. In an update posted Friday on X, the L.A. County Fire Department said three firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze and were taken to a local hospital 'out of an abundance of caution,' but were expected to fully recover. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued wildfire smoke advisories for parts of L.A. County, particularly along the I-5 corridor near Castaic Lake. Air quality issues are expected to linger through Sunday morning, according to the agency, which monitors air quality conditions for much of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Air pollution from wildfire smoke is a significant concern because it contains small particles that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter — around 4% of the diameter of an average strand of human hair. This type of air pollution is dangerous because the particles are small enough to reach deep inside the lungs, which can exacerbate or increase the risk of asthma, lung cancer and other chronic lung diseases. The Canyon Fire ignited Thursday afternoon near Holster Canyon and spread rapidly, engulfing more than 1,500 acres in several hours. The blaze is one of several large fires that are currently burning in California, including the huge Gifford Fire that ignited Aug. 1 in the Los Padres National Forest. That fire has consumed more than 100,000 acres and remains only 21% contained, according to Cal Fire.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Gifford Fire Map, Update as California Blaze Hits Major Milestone
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Gifford fire in central California has burned more than 100,000 acres as of Friday, becoming the state's largest blaze of the year so far. Newsweek has contacted the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) for further comment via an email sent outside regular business hours. Why It Matters The fire is threatening thousands of homes and other structures near the Los Padres National Forest and has prompted widespread evacuation orders in the Golden State. Five firefighters and three civilians had been injured as of Friday afternoon, according to a Friday update from CAL FIRE. What To Know The Gifford fire, which broke out on August 1 along Highway 166, has burned more than 104,000 acres of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, according to CAL FIRE. It was 21 percent contained as of Friday evening. The fire "is burning actively on both sides of the highway with more active spread on the south side," CAL FIRE said in a situation summary on Friday. At least 3,600 personnel are battling the blaze. It erupted from multiple smaller fires between Santa Maria and Bakersfield. A map shows the spread of the Gifford Fire as of August 8. A map shows the spread of the Gifford Fire as of August 8. CAL FIRE It has now surpassed the Madre Fire, which erupted last month in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, and burned more than 80,000 acres before it was contained. Evacuation orders and warnings are in effect for multiple zones in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Full details on the orders and warnings can be found on the CAL FIRE website. Meanwhile, the Canyon fire, which ignited on Thursday afternoon, has burned more than 5,000 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. It was 29 percent contained as of Friday evening. A firefighter watches as the Gifford Fire burns on August 6 in Los Padres National Forest, California. A firefighter watches as the Gifford Fire burns on August 6 in Los Padres National Forest, People Are Saying The U.S. Forest Service-Los Padres National Forest said in an update on Friday evening update that "due to erratic fire behavior, residents should watch for changing conditions in their area." The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services wrote on X on Friday: "As firefighters battle the #CanyonFire and #GiffordFire, it's important to stay alert NOW and throughout fire season. If told to evacuate, don't wait." CAL FIRE wrote on X on Friday: "California is under a heat wave, bringing hot, dry, and windy conditions, making wildfires more likely to occur and to spread fast. When temps soar, even a tiny spark can ignite disaster." The post added that Californians can protect themselves, their homes and their communities by securing trailer chains to avoid sparks on the road, avoiding the use of spark-producing equipment, not parking or driving over dry grass and avoiding open flame activities like grilling campfires. What Happens Next? The cause of the fires remain under investigation. Meanwhile, the U.S. Forest Service-Los Padres National Forest wrote in its update on Friday that hot and dry conditions will continue across the area through early next week. "Temperatures will climb into the 90s to around 100 degrees while humidity drops into the teens and single digits," it wrote. "With typical diurnal winds anticipated, elevated fire weather conditions can be expected into early next week."
