Firefighter Injured Battling RivCo Greenhouse Blaze

THERMAL, CA — The cause of a fire that ignited overnight Wednesday on a property with multiple greenhouses in Thermal remains under investigation, according to the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

Shortly before 10 p.m., dispatchers sent a large firefighter response to 62000 Gene Welmas and 90500 Avenue 62, near Highway 86 in Thermal. Smoke and flames from the greenhouse property were visible for miles.

Firefighters at the scene reported "multiple greenhouses on fire," according to a Cal Fire spokesperson. "The first arriving engine reported four green houses and requested additional equipment."

By morning, the blaze was contained, with 15 greenhouses destroyed, and an additional 15 damaged, they said.

Crews remained on scene performing overhaul and mop-up operations for several hours. No one was displaced, and there were no civilian injuries. However, a firefighter suffered a minor injury and was transported to a local hospital by a fire department vehicle for further evaluation, according to Capt. John Clingingsmith. He also discussed the greenhouse structures that burned with Patch.

"When the owner got there, they said that section of the property is empty this time of year, due to the heat, so the majority of the greenhouses were empty."