A heavy aerial attack on the Wolf fire burning in the San Jacinto Mountains south of Banning had largely slowed the flames on Monday, June 30, even as the winds increased in speed at midday.
After making progress overnight, helicopters dropping water on the flames and airplanes laying retardant ahead of the flames on the northeast flank below Highway 243 on Monday at least temporarily stopped the eastward spread. Earlier, flames jumped the 243 but firefighters beat them back.
Some 1,400 acres had burned as of early Monday morning, said Capt. Daniel Potter, a Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department spokesman. There was no containment. Some remote areas where crews will eventually build fire breaks have been difficult to reach.
“It’s creeping along right now,” Potter said. “The winds are fairly calm and we anticipate the wind to pick up as usual in the afternoon with gusts of 20 mph with low humidities.”
Monday’s plan was to focus on the populated areas south of Banning and Beaumont, Potter said.
Officials expect the winds to decrease in the evening, giving crews an advantage.
The fire did not appear to affect the mountain resort community of Idyllwild to the south.
“We’re not seeing any smoke in town,” said Ann Molina, who works at the Idyllwild Inn. She commuted along Highway 74 from the Palm Desert area. She said Monday morning the temperature on the hill was 75 degrees with fresh air.
To the north, just below the 10 Freeway, a person who answered the phone at the Banning Stagecoach KOA campground said they were open and there was little smoke.
Evacuation orders and warnings remained in place.
Three firefighters have suffered minor injuries, Potter said. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Here are updates on other brush fires that burned over the weekend. The cause of each was under investigation on Monday.
• Lake: The fire that started Saturday near Highway 173 and Cedar Springs Dam Trail near Silverwood Lake prompted scores of campers to flee and burned 478 acres before the spread was stopped. Crews were strengthening containment lines where the flames were most active. Highway 138 remained closed from 3 miles west of the highway to where it intersects with Highway 18.
Containment was at 25% Monday.
• Mandalay: The fire that started Sunday west of Tyler Street and Mandalay Court in Riverside burned 83 acres before its spread was halted and mandatory evacuations were lifted.
• Mindy: The fire that started Sunday near Decoursey Road and Mindy Lane in the southwest Riverside County unincorporated community of Aguanga had burned 100 acres and was 70% contained Monday. All evacuation orders have been lifted.
• Cable: The fire that started Sunday near Martin Ranch Road and Cable Canyon Road in San Bernardino had burned 19 acres as of Monday and was 50% contained. One firefighter who suffered a minor heat-related injury has been released from the hospital, Cal Fire spokeswoman Chloe Castillo said.
• Wilson: The fire Sunday in the 9100 block of Wilson Ranch Road in the unincorporated Victor Valley community of Phelan was held to 2 acres.
• Smiley: The 15-acre fire that started Saturday in the area of Timoteo Canyon Road and Smiley Boulevard in the unincorporated area north of Moreno Valley was declared completely contained Monday.
SCNG Staff Photographer Will Lester and City News Service contributed to this report.
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