LOS ANGELES, Sept 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) – A wildfire in Southern California that killed two people and injured a third, has exploded to over 2,400 acres (9.71 square km) within 24 hours as of yesterday morning, authorities said.
The Fairview fire started Monday afternoon, near the city of Hemet in Riverside County, amid a brutal heat wave that scorched Southern California for days. It was only five percent contained to date, and the evacuation order and warning remain in place, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The department said, at least seven structures had been destroyed and several more damaged. Officials estimated that thousands of structures in the area remain threatened by the fire.
The two victims of the fire appeared to be attempting to flee before being overcome by the blaze, officials said, in a media briefing yesterday morning.
Due to the blaze, all schools in Hemet Unified School District were closed yesterday.
School district officials said in a statement that, the decision “was not made lightly.” After considering local authorities’ advise and evacuation orders, transportation impacts, the current level of fire containment, and the possibility of power outages, with anticipated high temperatures, they felt that closing schools was necessary, to ensure the safety of students, staff, and families.– NNN-AGENCIES
