Dale Fire, Burning Near Anza, Aguanga, Grows To Over 1,000 Acres, 90% Contained

AGUANGA, CA — One of two brush fires that erupted less than a mile apart in Aguanga grew to more than 1,090 acres Thursday morning, and containment grew to 90%, according to the latest Cal Fire statements on Monday, July 21. Evacuations remained in place in some areas, while others were reduced to evacuation warnings overnight, according to Cal Fire's 9 a.m. update.

See the most recent Dale Fire Perimeter and the Evacuation and Evacuation Warning Maps Per Cal Fire:

The non-injury blazes were reported at 12:35 p.m. Wednesday -- the first in the area of Riverdale Drive and State Route 371, the second about three-quarters of a mile south at Bradford Road and Gelding Way -- according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Roads were closed and neighborhoods were evacuated ahead of the flames.

Earlier, the agency said multiple engine and hand crews from the county and surrounding agencies were sent to the area and encountered flames moving at a rapid rate at the larger brusher along Riverdale.

At least two structures, possibly vacant outbuildings, were consumed by the flames, according to officials. The second fire at Bradford was slower but also damaged two to three structures, burning about three acres before its forward rate of spread was stopped shortly before 2 p.m. It was completely contained less than an hour later.

By Wednesday afternoon, seven Cal Fire air tankers and three water-dropping helicopters initiated runs on the larger blaze, dubbed the Dale Fire. The flames continued progressing in the direction of Cahuilla Creek Motocross and the Cahuilla Casino Hotel, both south of State Route 371, east of the brusher.

Evacuation orders were implemented by sheriff's deputies for the race track, remote properties southeast of the Lake Riverside Estates and elsewhere on the south side of Highway 371. Other properties in and around the Cahuilla Indian Reservation were under evacuation warnings as well.

The evacuation orders and warnings were in effect for the area north of Tule Peak Road, west of Eagle Nest Court, South of State Route 371 and east of Bradford Hills Road.

Crews worked through the night, hitting hot spots as they continued to bolster the containment lines, the agency said just after midnight Thursday. That rose from 10% to 34% by 9:30 a.m.

A care and reception center was established at the Anza Community Center, 56630 Highway 371. The Department of Animal Services was accepting evacuated pets at the agency's San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, 581 S. Grand Ave.

Wednesday's aircraft operations closed off the southern flank of the main fire, which had grown to an estimated at 330 acres by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Crews made a succession of drops in front of the brusher that slowed its advance as it moved across largely open space south of the 371.

Firefighters had hoped to stop the fire's forward rate at the intersection of Homestead and Tribal roads, less than a quarter mile west of the casino, but the fire jumped the roads and turned northeast-bound, slowly crossing open ground. No structures were threatened as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Both sides of the highway were shut down for public safety between the casino turnoff at Homestead to the east and Barbara Trail to the west, spanning roughly seven miles.

The source of the fires was unknown, however witnesses at the fire's beginning told California Highway Patrol dispatch a white truck had a loose chain that was sparking prior to the blaze. This area, near Cahuilla Casino, has been ground zero for a cluster of minor and major wildfires going back three years.

See the most recent Dale Fire Perimeter and the Evacuation and Evacuation Warning Maps Per Cal Fire:

See the most recent Dale Fire Perimeter and the Evacuation and Evacuation Warning Maps Per Cal Fire.