Cabazon wildfire destroys four structures; evacuation orders lifted

Four structures were destroyed and an evacuation order was temporarily issued after a wildfire began Wednesday morning in the Cabazon area of Riverside County, authorities said.

The blaze, dubbed the Almond fire, was first reported at 11:44 a.m. at the intersection of Bonita Avenue and Poplar Street, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire.

The fire was composed of two different fires in the same region; the first was 80 acres in size and the second was 15 acres. Both were fully contained by 10 p.m., according to Cal Fire. The cause of the fires is under investigation.

An evacuation order was issued for south of Bonita Avenue, east of Broadway, west of Lime Street and north of Hattie Street, according to Cal Fire. At 6 p.m., the order was downgraded to an evacuation warning.

The fires were fueled by light grasses that grow annually with the rain and were burning rapidly, said Cal Fire spokesperson Maggie Cline De La Rosa.

At least two of the structures destroyed were single-story residences.

Thirty-five engines were dispatched to the scene, as well as four air tankers, two helicopters and more than 200 firefighters.