a day ago
California's Wolf Fire mapped after residents told to flee 1,100-acre blaze
At least four large wildfires erupted in California over the weekend following extreme high temperatures, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes.
The largest currently ablaze in the Sunshine State has been dubbed the Wolf Fire, which erupted at around 3:09 p.m. Sunday near Banning and has spread across 1,165 acres. No casualties have been reported and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
Cal Fire officials said 300 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze as it continues to rage into the early hours of Monday morning, 'at a moderate rate in medium to heavy brush.'
Their biggest challenge with the Wolf Fire is the location because the flames are burning on the tip of the mountain, and ground crews are having difficulty accessing it, Cal Fire told NBC News Sunday.
Nearly a dozen evacuation orders have been issued for areas surrounding the blaze, and locals have been advised to take shelter 20 miles south in Hemet High School. Four helicopters have been deployed throughout the night to try and contain the fire.
Sixty miles north in San Bernardino County, the second largest fire, the Lake Fire, continues to burn, growing to 485 acres since it erupted around 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Silverwood State Recreation Area.
There, the fires prompted a group of about 100 visitors to flee in their beachwear, as bystanders with boats and jet skis helped evacuate them to a safe area. It is at 15 percent containment.
On the outskirts of the Sequoia National Park, the Saddle Fire burns across 206 acres in Tulare County, but officials have managed to contain it at 85 percent.
The flames erupted at around 10 p.m. Sunday, and local crews continue to battle the blaze throughout the night, said Cal Fire.
'Steep terrain and access made this fire difficult for personnel to raise containment,' a spokesperson added.
Two more fires continue to rage in Riverside County, California. The Mindy and Mandalay Fires both erupted Sunday at around 10 p.m. While fire officials have managed to tackle 50 percent of the Mindy Fire, which spread across 100 acres, crews have been struggling to grapple with the smaller Mandalay Fire, across 83 acres.
On Sunday night, Cal Fire downgraded evacuation orders for the Mindy Fire to warnings, advising residents to 'use caution when driving in the area.'
