Paris Barraza | Palm Springs Desert Sun
A wildfire that broke out in Riverside County grew to nearly 40 acres by Tuesday night, triggering evacuation warnings that have since been lifted.
The fire, named the Clay Fire, burned 38 acres and was 45% contained as of Wednesday morning, according to a Cal Fire and Riverside County Fire Department spokesperson.
Forward progress of the fire was stopped by Tuesday night, according to a Cal Fire incident report.
It was one of several fires that ignited Tuesday, including the 85-acre Lilac Fire in San Diego County.
Parts of Southern California, including Riverside County valleys and mountains, are under a red flag warning through Thursday evening due to strong winds and “very low” relative humidity, meaning that fires that break out in the regions under the warning can spread rapidly, according to the National Weather Service San Diego.
Here’s an overview of the Clay Fire as of Wednesday morning.
Where is the Clay Fire?
The Clay Fire broke out at the Santa Ana River bottom near Pedley Road and Van Buren Boulevard in Jurupa Valley, according to Cal Fire. Jurupa Valley is in Riverside County’s northwest region and neighbors the city of Riverside. Jurupa Valley is about a 20-mile drive, route dependent, from San Bernardino, according to Google Maps. According to a Cal Fire incident update, approximately a third of the acres burned is within Riverside.
When did the Clay Fire begin?
Firefighters were on scene at a vegetation fire reported at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Jurupa Valley, according to Cal Fire and Riverside County Fire Department’s post on X. The fire was “in heavy fuels and burning at a slow rate of spread.”
