Wildfires in California continued to rage on Wednesday, with the Juniper and Wolf fires affecting Riverside County.
The Wolf fire has been burning since Sunday afternoon, and the Juniper fire started roughly a day later on Monday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Firefighters in Riverside County and elsewhere have been working nonstop to tame the blazes for the past three days, according to Newsweek.
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Here is everything you need to know about the Wolf and Juniper fires.
What caused the wildfires?
The cause of the wildfires remains unknown and is currently under investigation.
How big are the wildfires?
The Wolf fire spans 2,414 acres, while the Juniper fire spans 755 acres, according to Cal Fire.
How much is contained?
As of Wednesday morning, the Juniper fire is 90% contained, and the Wolf fire is 40% contained as of Tuesday evening.
How serious is it?
The Riverside County Fire Department has issued numerous evacuation orders for the Wolf fire since Sunday evening, according to the department’s posts on X. It also started issuing evacuation orders for the Juniper fire on Monday afternoon.
Though a large portion of the Wolf fire is still not contained, the department was optimistic Tuesday night, saying online, “Anticipated weather changes will make favorable conditions for ground forces improving and extending containment lines throughout the night.”
Three firefighters have been injured trying to contain the wildfires, but no other casualties or structural damages have been reported so far.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Riverside County Fire Department via email on Wednesday for a comment.
Are there currently any other wildfires?
The Mindy fire is also burning in Riverside County, along with two wildfires in San Bernardino County, the Sims fire in Lassen County, the Kenyon fire in Shasta County, the Quarry fire in San Joaquin County, and more, according to Newsweek. The Wolf fire is the largest of all the wildfires currently burning in California.
Past wildfires in California
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The state was ravaged by wildfires in January due to dry Santa Ana winds coupled with a lack of rainfall in the region for several months.
Four wildfires in Los Angeles, specifically in the Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, and Sylmar areas, prompted evacuation orders for more than 70,000 residents and killed at least five people, according to the Washington Examiner. Afterward, the state suffered economic losses and damages of between $250 and $275 billion.