Evacuations Ordered For Sunset Fire In Banning

Last updated at 9 p.m. July 27, 2023

BANNING, CA — A fast-moving brush fire in Banning Thursday night forced evacuations though crews were getting the upperhand.

The Sunset Fire broke out shortly before 7 p.m. near Mesa and Gilman streets, and as of 8 p.m. an evacuation order was issued for the area south of Silver Star Drive, east of Sunset Avenue, north of Wilson Street and west of 16th Street, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

An evacuation warning was also issued for the area north of Wilson Street, east of 16th Street, south of Repplier Road and west of San Gorgonio Avenue, the agency announced.

See a Cal Fire interactive map here that shows evacuation areas.

As of 8:54 p.m., the fire was mapped at 103 acres and was 50% contained, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department. All evacuation orders and warnings, however, remained in place, the agency said.

Brush in the open space area near Banning Bench was "burning at [a] dangerous rate of spread," the fire department reported shortly after the blaze broke out. Additional ground and air resources wall called in to assist, the agency said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

The blaze was one of three brush fires burning Thursday evening in Riverside County.

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