Apple fire chars over 28,000 acres, prompting new evacuations for Morongo Valley
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has issued new evacuation warnings for residents of Morongo Valley, where the nearby Apple fire has ravaged Cherry Valley and the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest for nearly a week.
The warnings came two days after evacuation orders in Riverside County were lifted as firefighters seemed to gain ground in their battle against the blaze.
As of Thursday, 28,085 acres have burned, and the fire is 30% contained. More than 2,000 personnel have been dispatched to fight the fire, the San Bernardino Forest Service said.
Coronavirus concerns mean some fire evacuees head to hotels, not shelters.
Although the fire remains mostly in Riverside County, San Bernardino County officials said the blaze was creeping over county lines. They advised residents of Morongo Valley to use the 62 Freeway east or west as an evacuation route.
Evacuation warnings remain in place for Forest Falls, Pioneer Town and Rimrock, as well as the area east of Potrero Road, north of Morongo Road and west of Whitewater Canyon Road, according to the forest service. The community of Oak Glen also remains under an evacuation order.
Residents can check whether their address is in an evacuation zone at RivCoReady.org.
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