Cranston Fire Burns 13,118 Acres, Prompts More Closures

MOUNTAIN CENTER, CA -- A human-caused brush fire that sparked in the Inland Empire grew to 13,118 acres Saturday morning. The fire was 29 percent contained as of Saturday, officials said.

The fire, which sparked two days earlier east of the Cranston Fire Station, forced the temporary closure of all U.S. Forest Service lands within both the San Jacinto Ranger District and Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument on Friday night.

More than 1,300 firefighters from agencies across the state are now battling the Cranston Fire, which has destroyed at least five homes and prompted road closures and the evacuation of 6,000 people in Mountain Center, Idyllwild, Herkey Creek, San Jacinto Mountain State Park, Fern Valley, Pine Cove, Cedar Glen and the northern section of Garner Valley, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The latest evacuation information is detailed below:

• Evacuation Center: Banning High School, 100 W. Westward Ave., Banning, CA
• Animal Evacuation Centers: Dysart Equestrian Park 2101 W. Victory Ave Banning, CA Banning High School (small animals only) 100 W. Westward Ave Banning, CA Riverside County Animal Services - San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus 581 S. Grand Ave San Jacinto, CA Road Closures: Highway 243 is closed from Banning to Highway 74 (Residents north of Marion Ridge Drive with ID can enter at Banning). Highway 74 is closed from Cranston Station to Highway 371.
• Evacuation Warning: This is NOT an Evacuation Order. This is an advisement only of potential Evacuation Order should conditions change: Southside of Garner Valley (All homes south of Hialeah Way, including homes accessed from Hialeah Way, are under evacuation warning through just south of Highway 371)
• Mandatory Evacuations: Areas that are currently under a mandatory evacuation include: The entire Mountaintop communities of: Mountain Center, Idyllwild, Herkey Creek, San Jacinto Mountain State Park, Fern Valley, Pine Cove and Cedar Glen. The northern section of Garner Valley is also under a mandatory evacuation (All homes accessed from roads north of Hialeah Way, not including homes accessed via Hialeah Way).

--City News Service and Patch reporter Renee Schiavone contributed to this report/Image via Palo Alto Fire Department