Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Wolf Fire Tops 1,400 Acres as Crews Halt Lake Fire’s Spread

Evacuation orders alongside air quality alerts continue for Inland Empire communities under drought-fed wildfire conditions.

Banning, CA – June 30: Firefighters pull hose lines along Highway 243, also known as the Esperanza Firefighters Memorial Highway, as a plane drops fire retardant near Banning during the Wolf Fire on Monday, June 30, 2025. As of 2 p.m. the fire had burned 1,400 acres and was 30 percent contained following a heavy aerial attack. (Photo by Will Lester/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via Getty Images)
A U.S. Forest Service firefighter fires flares into the brush to set a backfire in this archive photo from October 2005, which was taken near Calimesa, in Riverside County, California.

Overview

  • The Wolf Fire expanded to about 1,400 acres near Banning Pass and reached 10% containment after overnight operations involving over 300 personnel and multiple aircraft.
  • Fire crews have held the Lake Fire at roughly 478 acres in San Bernardino County, boosting containment to 15% and stopping its forward progression.
  • Mandatory evacuation orders and warnings cover sections of I-10, Highway 243 and Highway 138, with shelters established for displaced residents at Hemet High School and other sites.
  • Heavy smoke from the blazes prompted air quality alerts across the Inland Empire, urging vulnerable groups to stay indoors as particulate pollution rises.
  • Persistent drought and red flag warnings have heightened wildfire risk in Southern California, and investigators continue probing the origins of both fires.