Residents in the path of a wildfire in California have been urged to flee as officials order evacuations across the region.
Dubbed the “Wolf” fire, the blaze is burning across some 1,165 acres in Riverside County.
Evacuation orders are in place throughout the surrounding areas because of the “immediate threat to life,” according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
Why It Matters
In January, California saw wildfires that killed at least two dozen people and left thousands homeless, while thick plumes of toxic smoke blanketed the city.
More recently, the Ranch fire and the Henderson fire blazed across hundreds of acres, while the Lake fire erupted around 4 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday at the Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area in San Bernardino County and spread to 478 acres over the subsequent five hours. Evacuation orders were issued, but they were later lifted as firefighters managed to contain the flames.
What To Know
The Wolf fire broke out at 3:09 p.m. on Sunday in the area of Old Banning Idyllwild Road and the Wolfskill Truck Trail south of the city of Banning.
Cal Fire described the blaze as a vegetation fire and rated its severity as critical. The fire’s cause is still under investigation, according to the agency. Some 300 personnel are fighting the blaze, equipped with four helicopters and 70 fire engines.
Evacuation orders are in place, with officials warning: “Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is lawfully closed to public access.” The affected area runs north of Poppet Flat Divide Truck Trail, south of Interstate 10, east of Highland Springs Avenue and west of Old Cabazon Road.
Besides the evacuation orders, a number of “evacuation warnings” are also in place. According to authorities, residents living in affected areas face a “potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now.”
Areas covered by evacuation warnings include an area south of Highland Springs Avenue, east of Bergamo Avenue, and west of Highway 243.
On Sunday, Cal Fire shared details and updates about the blaze on X, formerly Twitter.
In an update about the wildfire posted shortly after 4 p.m., the agency said, “The fire has been mapped at 62 acres and continues to burn at a moderate rate.”
An update shortly after 6 p.m. said evacuation orders and warnings were in place, while an update at 9 p.m. said the fire remained out of control—with firefighters still working to contain it.
According to Cal Fire’s incident report, as of 9:46 p.m. on Sunday, the Wolf fire was 0 percent contained.
#WolfFIRE [UPDATE 4:09 p.m.] The fire has been mapped at 62 acres and continues to burn at a moderate rate. No evacuations have been ordered.Vegetation Fire: rpt @ 3:06 p.m. Old Banning and Idyllwild Road X Wolfskill Truck Trail, south of Banning. Firefighters are on scene of… pic.twitter.com/Ep33wDO39S
— CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department (@CALFIRERRU) June 29, 2025
What People Are Saying
A status update on Cal Fire’s website said: “The fire continues to burn at a moderate rate in medium to heavy brush. Four night-flying helicopters and hundreds of firefighters will continue working throughout the night on containing the fire. … Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow.”
What Happens Next
Residents should regularly check their local news reports and follow Cal Fire on its social media feeds for the most up-to-date information on evacuation orders and safety advice.
An evacuation shelter is in place at Hemet High School (41701 East Stetson Avenue, Hemet 92544), while an animal evacuation shelter can be found at 581 South Grand Avenue, San Jacinto 92582.
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