CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department units continue to battle an approximately 7,000-acre brush fire burning in the area of Jack Rabbit Trail and Gilman Springs Road in the Lakeview community southeast of Moreno Valley.
Around 1 p.m. Saturday, CAL FIRE issued the following evacuation warning: north of the county landfill (Lambs Canyon Road), east of Highway 79 (Lambs Canyon), south of E. First Street and west of Manzanita Park Road.
They are asking people to avoid the area if possible to help keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.
The Rabbit fire broke out around 3:30 p.m. Friday. As of 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the area north of Gilman Springs Road was at 5% with evacuation orders again Saturday morning.
According to officials, one person was burned at the scene. Reports suggest that he may have been in or near the vehicle that caught fire.
The victim was taken to Riverside University Health System-Medical Center in Moreno Valley for treatment.
California Highway Patrol officers and sheriff’s deputies are diverting northbound vehicles from Gilman Springs Road onto Bridge Street, an official said.
Additional road closures were in place for Highway 79 in the Lambs Canyon area from Gilman Springs Road to California Avenue.
Firefighters said Friday that the fire quickly jumped from 20 acres to 600 acres as it burned. The fast-moving fire had grown to 1,500 acres by 7 p.m. and was at 2,815 acres by 7:20 p.m. Friday.
Evacuation orders have been issued for the following areas:
- North of Gilman Springs Road, east of Jack Rabbit Trail, south of First Street and west of California Avenue and Highway 79,
- North and west of Highway 79, east of California Avenue and south of First Street,
- North of Lamb Canyon Road, east of Highway 79, south of E. First Street and west of Manzanita Park Road.
Evacuation warnings have been ordered for dozens of residences:
- North of Gilman Springs Road,
- North and west of Highway 79, south of First Street and east of California Avenue,
- North of East First Street, east of Jack Rabbit Trail, south of West Fourth Street and west of California Avenue,
- East of Manzanita Park Road, west of Highland Springs Road, south of East First Street, north of forest line.
There may be an interactive map of evacuation orders and warnings Seen on Cal Fire’s website.
The Ventura County Fire Department also dispatched a Strike Team 1566C – Type 3 or wildland-style fire engine to assist in extinguishing the fire.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
#Rabbit fire [UPDATE] As of last night, evacuation orders were in place for areas east of Bridge Street, north of Gilman Springs Road, west of Highway 79, and south of Lamb Canyon Road; Including the Lamb Canyon landscape. There are no displacements from this eviction order, so a security &… pic.twitter.com/6j4PzGUtJK
— CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department (@CALFIRERRU) July 15, 2023
(This is a developing story. Check back for updates.)
