Apple Fire grows in California, nearly 8,000 to be evacuated

A major fire in California in the United States has led to evacuation of more than 8,000 people from the Riverside County. The uncontrolled blaze has spread across more than 12,000 acres, according to local authorities.

It is called Apple Fire by the locals and it started as several small fires on Friday. All of them merged resulting into massive blaze.

It first started in Cherry Valley, a community about 75 miles east of Los Angeles.

In a tweet posted on Sunday morning, the Riverside County fire department said that the Apple Fire is now 12,000 acres and remains 0% contained. “Several EVACUATION ORDERS and warnings remain in place.”

It has also issued new evacuation orders for the area north of Morongo Road, east of Millard Canyon Road, and west of Whitewater Canyon Road.

“Approximately 2,586 homes totaling approximately 7,800 people are under evacuation orders,” a fire department tweet said.

Photographs shared by the Riverside County fire department showed thick plumes of smoke filling the sky over the mountainous region.

The fire had grown from 700 acres on Friday evening to its present form.