HEMET — Firefighters were battling a rapidly developing wildfire southeast of Hemet Friday afternoon, Aug. 14, prompting requests for evacuation orders and warnings as crews attacked the blaze from the ground and air.
The Taffle Fire was reported near Taffle Ranch Road and Louis Lane, about 5 miles southeast of Hemet, according to CAL FIRE. As of Friday afternoon, the fire had burned approximately 46 acres and was 0% contained.
Incident command requested evacuation orders for Riverside County evacuation zones RVC-1912 and RVC-1979.
Evacuation warnings were requested for zones RVC-1769 and RVC-1770.
An evacuation order means there is an immediate threat to life and residents should leave immediately, according to CAL FIRE. An evacuation warning indicates a potential threat to life or property. People who need additional time to evacuate, including those with pets or livestock, are encouraged to leave during a warning rather than wait for an order.
A substantial firefighting force was assigned to the incident Friday afternoon, with approximately 200 personnel, 50 engines, two helicopters, three bulldozers, three hand crews and six other resources responding.
Numerous firefighting air tankers from around California were also flying suppression missions as conditions allowed.
The fire was burning within the CAL FIRE Riverside Unit’s jurisdiction. The cause remained under investigation.
No civilian or firefighter injuries or fatalities had been reported in the information available Friday afternoon. No structures had been reported destroyed or damaged.
The Riverside County Fire Department directs residents to RivCoReady for current evacuation information and encourages residents to know their evacuation zones and sign up for emergency alerts.
The Taffle Fire remained active Friday afternoon, and acreage, containment and evacuation information could change quickly as firefighters continued suppression operations.
This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.
