Apple Fire grows to 20,000 acres amid massive evacuations in Southern California

The devastating Apple Fire has now burned more than 20,000 acres in Southern California, forcing thousands of residents out of their homes as hundreds of firefighters work to combat the inferno.

As of 6 a.m. Sunday, the fire was 0% contained.

The blaze in Riverside County, which began Friday evening, grew overnight into Sunday morning and has covered at least 20,516 acres. At least 7,800 people from about 2,500 residences have been ordered to evacuate.

About 1,300 firefighters are working to contain the wildfire, with officials on the ground and others using helicopters and air tankers all taking part in the effort.

At least one home has been destroyed. No deaths have been reported by officials.

The canyons and drainage channels found in the region present an environment in which a fire can wreak havoc, explained fire official Lisa Cox, who said a “very large pyrocumulus cloud” that formed at the scene could be spotted from miles away.

“The concern with that is that firefighters cannot control what that plume of smoke does,” said Cox, who works for the San Bernardino National Forest. “Firefighters cannot control when it’s going up in the sky and coming down in all directions.”

Adding to the challenge for firefighters is the fact that the blaze is burning on steep hillsides.

Beaumont High School in Cherry Valley, Calif., is now serving as an evacuation center, while about 32 people from 10 homes were offered lodging at a local hotel through the American Red Cross nonprofit organization.

This marks the first major wildfire in California this year.

Also complicating the situation is the coronavirus pandemic, which has prompted many people to observe social distancing and stay home.

Riverside County has more than 37,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, making it one of the hardest hit counties in the state.

With News Wire Services