Fire In Corona, Yorba Linda. Evacuations Ordered!

At least a dozen homes were damaged or destroyed today by a wind-driven wildfire in the Santa Ana Canyon that scorched its way from west Corona into Yorba Linda.

The fire broke out just before 9 a.m. north of the Riverside (91) Freeway near Green River Road in Corona. The fire rapidly spread over at least 100 acres, jumping from Riverside County into Orange County, where several multimillion-dollar homes went up in flames.

The exact number of destroyed or damaged homes was not immediately available, although broadcast reports indicated that at least a dozen homes, possibly as many as 16, were burned in Corona and Yorba Linda. There were no immediate reports of any injuries.

At least seven tanker planes had been assigned to fire, said U.S. Forest Service Tank Base manager Leslie Casavan.


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Corona/Yorba Linda Fire Evacuation Area:

Gypsum Canyon East of the 91 Freeway.

Evacuation Center:

Esperanza High School
1830 N. Kellogg Drive
Anaheim


An Orange County evacuation center was set up at Esperanza High School, 1830 N. Kellogg Drive in Anaheim. Many residents in the Corona area flocked to an evacuation center at the Backwoods Barbecue restaurant, 4300 Green River Road, which is owned by Nolan.

"We have about the whole Green River community here in our restaurant right now," said Backwoods Barbecue waitress Samantha Cortez. Cortez estimated about 60 Green River residents were there at 10:40 a.m.

A police and fire command post was set up outside the restaurant.

By 10:02 a.m., Corona firefighters had requested assistance for immediate evacuations on Crestridge Drive and another residential street known as Crest Line, according to Orange County fire and CHP personnel.

Fire crews from Orange County, Riverside County and Corona were sent to the fire shortly after it was reported sometime before 9 a.m., according to a Cal Fire spokeswoman.

Traffic between Orange and Riverside counties on the Riverside (91) Freeway was blocked, with the 91 Freeway closed between Green River Road and the Corona (71) Expressway.

Cortesy Of MyFox- Los Angeles.