A wildfire ignited in Riverside County on Monday, rapidly expanding to 2,600 acres and resulting in the closure of a major freeway, alongside urgent evacuation directives for local residents.
Dubbed the Shore Fire, the inferno erupted in the San Timoteo Canyon area, southwest of Calimesa, just before 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Cal Fire reported that it initially consumed 100 acres in a short span of time.
Due to the fire’s severity, evacuation orders were swiftly issued, and the 60 Freeway westbound at Interstate 10 was shut down to ensure public safety.
As midnight approached, the blaze had dramatically expanded, engulfing more than 2,000 acres.
To accommodate evacuees, a shelter was established at Valley View High School for people and their pets, while the San Jacinto Animal Campus provided refuge for larger animals.
The cause remains under investigation.
The fire broke out the same day a brush fire started near homes in the Stevenson Ranch area of the Santa Clarita Valley.
The blaze was reported in a hiking area within Pico Canyon Park near Magnolia Lane.