Juniper Fire consumes 55 acres in Perris; multiple homes burned

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department said a fire that started Tuesday afternoon in Perris remains at 55 acres and 5 % contained Wednesday afternoon, unchanged from the night before. The agency said it did stop growing and are working to clear debris from the ground so it doesn't ignite again. 

CalFire said structures were no longer in immediate danger of burning, but some residents were not allowed to return home yet.

Riverside County Fire Department crews responded around 2:30 p.m.Tuesday to a vegetation brush fire dubbed the Juniper Fire in unincorporated Perris.

The fire started near the 19000 block of Santa Rosa Mine Road and rapidly grew to 55 acres by 5:40 p.m. Tuesday and was 5% contained according to Cal Fire crews at the scene. They have reportedly stopped the forward motion of the blaze. 

Santa Rosa Mine Road and Idaleona are closed.

At least one structure is in flames and others are threatened, according to Cal Fire. 

Firefighters had issued evacuation orders for people living in the surrounding area, but those orders have since been downgraded to warnings. Warnings remain for residents living: 

• South of Santa Rosa Mine Road
• East of El Baquero Road 
• West of Maywood Club Road
• North of Blue Sky Road.  

Aircraft are responding to the brusher. Click here for an interactive map of the evacuation zone.

So far, 99 firefighters have been dispatched to the brusher and about a dozen aircraft are above it. 

An evacuation center has been established at Pinacate Middle School at 1990 South "A" Street in Perris.

This is one of two major fires reported in the Inland Empire on Tuesday, with a 90-acre fire burning vegetation in Mentone.