Nearly 1,500-Acre Brush Fire in River Bottom 60% Contained

JURUPA VALLEY (CNS) - A nearly 1,500-acre brush fire in the Santa Ana
River bottom impacting Jurupa Valley and Riverside was 60% contained today.
  

The Bain Fire was reported at 11:22 a.m. Tuesday on the north side of
the dry channel, in the area of Bain Street and Limonite Avenue, just north of
the Hidden Valley Nature Center, according to the Riverside County Fire
Department.
  

The fire was mapped at 1,497 acres as of 1 p.m. Thursday and has not
grown since then. Minimal fire behavior was observed throughout Thursday, with
no significant fire growth or movement.
  

Containment increased from 39% to 60% as of 7:25 p.m. Thursday, the
department announced.
  

One lane of southbound Van Buren Boulevard at Clay Street was open as
of 7:34 p.m. Thursday after the street was closed at the height of the blaze,
according to the department.
  

The Western Riverside County Animal Shelter at Clay Street and Van
Buren, which was evacuated Tuesday night, with all of the animals relocated to
the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, was reopened Thursday afternoon.
  

The Department of Animal Services are 230% overcapacity for dogs and
120% overcapacity for cats and announced it urgently needs fosters for dogs,
cats and kitten litters.
  

There was no word on when full containment of the fire might be achieved.
  

There were 528 personnel, 58 engines, 13 hand crews, four dozers and
one water tender assigned to the fire from the Riverside County, Riverside,
Corona and Ontario fire departments and other agencies assigned to the fire,
Cal Fire reported.
  

Firefighters encountered wind-driven flames moving through thick brush
when the fire erupted. The flames spread toward groups of homes in the area
of Arlington and Western avenues in Riverside, leading to the evacuation of
dozens of residences around the intersection, including adjacent ones that
intersect Sunnyvale Drive, Mountain High Drive, Western Avenue and Western
Hills Drive.
  

Specific locations under warnings were depicted via a digital map at
protect.genasys.com/search.
  

A firefighter and four civilians were injured, according to the
Riverside County Fire Department.
  

An evacuation reception center was established at the Skyview Event
Center in Jurupa Valley.
  

The cause of the fire was under investigation.
  

Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.