PERRIS, Calif. – A fast-moving wildfire in Riverside County destroyed several structures and forced evacuations on Tuesday as firefighters flooded the region with resources to try to tame the flames.
CAL FIRE reports the Juniper Fire started during the afternoon and quickly spread among the hills south of Riverside.
Aerial video showed at least one air tanker dropping fire retardant to try to slow the progress of the flames.
Firefighters said at least 55 acres was burned, and they were still working to fully contain the fire on Tuesday evening.
The American Red Cross was helping to staff a temporary relief center for those impacted by mandatory evacuations.
Further north, crews were working to contain the Nice and Lone fires in San Bernardino County, but there were no structures reported to be threatened.
The Golden State is still reaping the benefits of an unusually wet winter and spring, with less than 30% of the region experiencing abnormally dry conditions.
The FOX Forecast Center warns that an extended period of heat with little rainfall is in store for California through the weekend and into next week.
A ridge of high pressure is expected to control the weather, which could mean triple-digit readings in the southern valleys.
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The heat and the lack of humidity mean firefighters could be busy with some ingredients in place for fires to spread quickly.
CAL FIRE reports investigators assigned to the Juniper Fire are still working to determine what sparked the flames.