Wildfires in Riverside County: affected acres of the Hawarden Fire and evacuation warnings

Evacuation warnings and orders have been issued in Riverside County, southern California, after a number of brush fires broke out on Sunday.

Hawarden Fire - evacuation orders

In the city of Riverside, a blaze known as the Hawarden Fire was first reported early on Sunday afternoon. As of just before 5pm PT, the City of Riverside Department said the fire covered some 400 acres. Per NBC Los Angeles, deputy fire chief Steve McKinster has estimated that three homes have been destroyed, with four others damaged.

Evacuations have been ordered in area described by the City of Riverside Fire Department as: “Eagle Crest Ct. & Chartwell Dr. Horace St. & Hawarden Dr.” Authorities later added further evacuation orders “in the area of Barry Road and Via Vista, moving towards Trautwein and Alessandro”.

A care and receiving centre has been set up at the Orange Terrace Community Center, located at 20010 Orange Terrace Parkway.

Eagle Fire - evacuation warnings

Meanwhile, evacuation warnings have been issued in the Corona area, where the Eagle Fire covered around 500 acres, according to an update by the Riverside County Fire Department late on Sunday evening.

At 9:53pm PT, the fire service said the blaze’s forward progress had been stopped, adding that it was 25% contained.

An evacuation order was initially issued for “zone RVC-0968; North of Farley Avenue, South of Cajalco Road, East of Verdino Circle and Cajalco Road, and West of Cajalco Road”, per the Riverside County Fire Department. However, this has now been downgraded to an evacuation warning.

Evacuation warnings are also in place for “zone RVC-1054, RVC-1055, and RVC-0969; North of Dawson Canyon Road, South of Cajalco Road and Dawson Canyon Road, East of Dawson Canyon Road and Foster Road, and West of Lake Mathew’s Drive.”

Authorities have provided a live map of the areas affected by evacuation warnings and orders.

Smaller fires at San Bernardino Forest, Empty Saddle Trail

Elsewhere in Riverside County, smaller fires were have also been reported. In the San Bernardino National Forest, the Blue Fire is about five acres in size, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.

In an update posted by the Forest Service at 6:20pm, San Bernardino fire chief Salvador Reyes said the topography of the affected area was “making access difficult”. However, the update added that the blaze remained within fire-retardant lines.

No evacuation warnings or orders have been issued as a result of the Blue Fire, but a road closure is in effect on “Forest Road IN09 at the entrance of Highway 330″, the Forest Service said.

On Sunday, the Riverside County Fire Department also reported a fire on Empty Saddle Trail. Known as the Saddle Fire, its forward progress was stopped at just under three acres, with no evacuations, the department said.

What’s the difference between an evacuation warning and an evacuation order?

According to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), an evacuation warning “means there’s impending danger to your life or property”.

“If a warning is given assume an evacuation order will follow,” the body adds. “Start gathering important items for your family and pets. Any individuals who need extra time to evacuate, or anyone with large animals, should pack-up and leave when a warning is issued.”

An evacuation order, Cal OES says, “means there’s an immediate threat to your life and you need to leave right now!”