Calimesa: Brush Fire Burns 70+ Structures, Threatens School

10.10.2019 | 1:58 PM | CALIMESA – Over 70 structures were destroyed and a school was threatened by a brush fire that grew to over 500 acres, Thursday afternoon.

Authorities responded to reports of a trash truck with a load on fire near the intersection of Sandalwood Drive and Seventh Street near the I-10 Freeway off ramp at 1:58 PM.

Crews arriving on scene learned that the driver of the truck had pulled over and dumped his burning load.

Wind carried embers from the trash fire to nearby vegetation which quickly caught fire.

In all the fire grew to over 500 acres and destroyed a total 74 structures including multiple mobile homes.

The Calimesa Elementary School was in the path of the fire and had to be evacuated as a result.

Firefighters had slowed the spread of the fire and contained at least 10% of it.

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