Evacuation Orders In Place After Thousand Palms Fire

Palm Desert CA

19 April, 2022

2:01 PM

Description

THOUSAND PALMS, CA - Evacuation orders remained in place Tuesday in a Thousand Palms neighborhood Tuesday where a vegetation fire had burned 20 acres. As of Tuesday morning, a Cal Fire/ Riverside County Fire Department spokesman reported "the fire remains at 20 acres." Firefighters will remain on scene for several hours today performing extensive mop-up and overhaul, they said. Evacuation orders still remain in place. Unless significant incident activity occurs, the next update will be Tuesday evening. The blaze began as a large mulch fire that was reported at 6:37 p.m. Monday in the 29000 block of Calle Castillo Lane, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. As firefighters arrived on the scene, the fire extended into nearby palm trees. Officials assigned nine engines and one battalion chief to the fire, which expanded to 20 acres by 8 p.m. An evacuation order was issued for the area north of 30th Avenue, east of Calle Castillo, south of Burr Oak Road and west of Desert Moon Drive. Approximately five structures were affected by the order. Additionally, 12 residences were issued a shelter in place order south of 30th Avenue.The shelter in place order was lifted around midnight, but evacuations remain in place, according to the fire department, which said firefighters expected to be on the scene for several hours Tuesday performing mop-up and overhaul. The fire was 0 percent contained as of the last update, but the forward rate of progress had been stopped. No injuries or property damage have been reported.