Silver fire: 8 injured, nearly 20,000 acres burned

The Silver fire has grown to nearly 20,000 acres but firefighters believe they have a firm handle on the Riverside County blaze.

As of Sunday morning, the fire had burned 19,436 and was 75% contained.

A firefighter received minor injuries while battling the blaze Saturday, bringing the total number of those injured to eight, including one civilian who was badly burned.

The fire, which started Wednesday, has destroyed 26 homes as it moves eastward over dry, rugged land south of Banning.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday declared a state of emergency in Riverside County, clearing the way for victims of the Silver fire to be eligible for federal disaster aid.

National Weather Service meteorologist Brandt Maxwell said firefighters will have to contend with a warming trend this weekend and continued low humidity that could prove problematic.

Combined with a decrease in winds out of the west, the fire could begin burning up the north slope of the San Jacinto Mountains toward the forest, he said.

Meanwhile, the evacuation center at Hemet High School had closed as some residents were allowed to reenter their fire-scorched neighborhoods.

Residents of Snow Creek, Cabazon, Mt. Edna and Poppet Flats were allowed to reenter affected areas as of Friday night, but only after securing a pass from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department until further notice.

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jason.wells@latimes.com

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