‘Southern California is ready to burn’: Fire ravages Fontana

Nearly 200 firefighters from San Bernardino and Riverside County responded Sunday to a blaze that consumed hundreds of acres and threatened buildings in Fontana — the latest in a series of fires that have gripped Southern California .

The fire grew to 400 acres and was 80% contained just after 9 p.m., according to Eric Sherwin, public information officer for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

Meanwhile, further north in Fresno County, the Basin Fire was one of the state’s two largest blazes, continuing to grow as brutal temperatures were expected this week in California’s interior.

The Fontana Fire, nicknamed the Sierra Fire, was first reported around 2:30 p.m. near Sierra and Jurupa avenues south of Highway 10. The fire was moving up the slope of a hill and was fueled by a breeze once you get to the top, Sherwin said.

Although no damage was reported Sunday, authorities had warned that structures could be threatened, but had not requested evacuations. As of Sunday evening, the threat to structures was “mitigated” and firefighters remained on scene to reinforce containment lines, according to Sherwin.

Two firefighters were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, he said.

The cause of the fire is still unknown. Sherwin urged caution amid record temperatures in parts of the state where dried grass could easily ignite and spread. A spark from a lawnmower could be enough to start a brush fire, he said.

“Southern California is about to burn. These fires are everywhere,” he said. “All we can do to prevent a fire from starting is one less fire likely to threaten homeowners. »

On Saturday, a fire broke out in Riverside County’s Moreno Valley and burned more than 200 acres. As of Sunday, there were about a dozen fires burning across the state, according to Cal Fire.

The largest of the fires was in Fresno County, where the Basin Fire that broke out Wednesday had destroyed nearly 12,000 acres as of Sunday evening and remained uncontained, according to Cal Fire.

Also in the Central Valley, the Fresno June Lightning Complex Fire, which started Monday, has burned more than 10,600 acres, according to Cal Fire’s latest update. Authorities had 61% of the fire under control as of Sunday evening.