Wildfire Blazing Through Southern CA Sparked by Vehicle, Officials Say
A Southern California wildfire that has raged along the mountains east of Los Angeles since Friday was sparked by a diesel-fueled vehicle, according to fire officials.
The vehicle in question emitted burning carbon plumes into a forest from its exhaust system.
“Multiple independent witnesses, as well as supporting physical evidence” helped authorities determine that this vehicle initiated the wildfire on Friday, according to a joint news release from CAL FIRE and Riverside County Fire Department.
CAUSE DETERMINED ON THE APPLE FIRE IN CHERRY VALLEY. Please see the attached news release with information on the cause of the #AppleFire in Cherry Valley. pic.twitter.com/nEjh8CM0ku
— CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department (@CALFIRERRU) August 3, 2020
Officials from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection are investigating the incident and seeking information from anyone who may have seen the vehicle that initiated the blaze, according to Fire Chief Bill Weiser.
The “Apple Fire” has ravaged over 25,000 acres of land across Riverside and San Bernardino counties in Southern California, according to the CAL FIRE website.
2,500 fire personnel across three emergency agencies are fighting the fire, which is 15 percent contained and has destroyed 12 residential and commercial buildings and resulted in one confirmed injury to fire personnel.
Evacuation orders were issued for residents living north of Banning and Beaumont in Riverside County, as well as for people living in the Oak Glen community in San Bernardino County, CNN reported.
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