Forward progress of a rapidly spreading four-alarm wildfire in Riverside County has reportedly been slowed, prompting fire officials to lift mandatory evacuation orders.
Crews with the Riverside County Fire Department responded to reports of the Mandalay Fire, which ignited near the intersection of Tyler Street and Mandalay Court in Riverside and quickly spread to around 10 acres, just before 2 p.m. Sunday. By 3:30 p.m., the blaze had reportedly spread to more than 60 acres and to 83 acres by 6 p.m.
According to the fire tracking website Watch Duty, the fire was quickly upgraded from three-alarm to four, with requests for law enforcement to help with evacuations and additional fire engines, crews and firefighting aircraft.
Authorities ordered mandatory evacuations for residents along Mandalay Court, Eureka Drive and Gaylord Street, though these lifted later in the evening. A map of the evacuation zone can be found here.
A care and reception center was established at La Sierra Sr. Community Center at 5215 La Sierra Avenue.
Tyler Street between Arlington and Jurupa avenues was closed while fire crews continued to battle the wildfire.
The Mindy and Wolf fires, are also pulling resources in Riverside County. The Cable Fire in San Bernardino has also prompted mandatory evacuation orders.
The cause of the Mandalay fire is investigation.