Almost a full week after it first sparked, the enormous Fairview Fire burning near Hemet looks like it may finally be slowing down.
The wildfire has now burned 28,307 acres, but firefighters have it 53% contained and made good progress thanks to this weekend's rainfall and lower temperatures.
The huge wildfire first sparked just after 3:30 p.m. on Monday, and in less than 24 hours killed at least two people who were trying to escape the flames. By Wednesday morning, it had burned about 5,000 acres, and by Wednesday night, it had exploded to over 18,000 acres, with fire crews containing 5% of the fire.
By Friday morning, it had reached 27,319 acres and was still spreading.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
21 structures have been destroyed by the flames, as of Monday at 7 a.m., and over 1,000 structures remained threatened at that time.
Crews making the major progress in containment over the weekend said Monday morning that the fire could be fully contained by the end of the day.
Evacuations
Evacuation orders are still in place for the following regions, according to CAL Fire and the Riverside County Fire Department:
- South of Cactus Valley Road,
- East of Sage Road,
- North of Stanley Road, and
- North of Diego Flat and Tripp Flats.
- Northwest of Cottonwood Truck Trail
- West of Rouse Ridge to the burn area.
- Bautista Road South of Fairview Avenue.
Evacuation warnings are in place for these areas:
- East of State Street,
- West of Fairview Avenue,
- North of the fire perimeter, and
- North of Cactus Valley Road.
- The above Includes Gibble Road, Polly Butte Road, Arvidson Road, and Avery Canyon Road.
- West of Wilson Way,
- East of Fairview Avenue,
- South of State Route 74, and
- North of the fire perimeter.
- South of State Route 74 to Rouse Ridge, and
- West of Rattlesnake Spring.
- South of Cactus Valley Road,
- North of East Benton Road,
- East of De Portola Road, and
- West of Sage Road.
- North of Wilson Valley Road and Reed Valley Road,
- South of Stanley Road,
- East of Sage Road,
- West of the US Forest Service Boundary, including the road of Larkin Lane.
Evacuation shelters have been established at Tahquitz High School, located at 4425 Titan Trail in Hemet, and at the Temecula Community Center, located at 30875 Rancho Vista Road in Temecula.
The Perris Fair Grounds located at 18700 Lake Perris Drive have been established as an evacuation center for large animals, while all small animals are welcome at 581 S. Grand Avenue in San Jacinto.
About the Fairview Fire
The Fairview Fire was first reported around 3:37 p.m. Monday, as a brush fire on Fairview Ave. and Bautista Road.
It is now one of the largest fires in California in 2022 -- second only to the Mosquito Fire in Placer County.
Wind travelling in unexpected directions for the time of year caused the Fairview Fire to spread rapidly down Avery Canyon.
At least two people have died while attempting to leave the of the Fairview fire. Family told NBCLA that father and daughter Ian Matthew Compton and Mikayla Porter, were the two individuals overtaken by the fire as it moved rapidly through Avery Canyon.
A third person, Ian Compton's wife according to family, is in the hospital with major injuries.
The fire prompted a Boil Water Advisory for parts of east Hemet, and closed all Hemet Unified School District schools for most of the week of Sept. 5.
Southern California Edison is investigating how the fire may have started, and put out a statement on their investigation.
"Our information reflects circuit activity occurring close in time to the reported time of the fire," the statement read in part. "With safety as our number one priority, we continue to make progress on our wildfire mitigation efforts."
A brutal, week-long heat wave in Southern California has not helped the dry conditions in the state that contributed to the wildfire's rapid growth.
Fuel moisture levels are well below historic averages in parts of Southern California, meaning vegetation is drying out more quickly this year. Dry vegetation is one significant factor in the spread of wildfires.
The state came out of one of its driest late winters on record, leaving hillsides covered in dry brush.
California continues to face longer wildfire seasons as a direct result of climate change, according to CAL FIRE.
