Wildfire Threatens Homes in Jurupa Valley Amid Santa Ana Winds

JURUPA VALLEY, Calif. — Firefighters are battling a fast-moving brush fire near the Santa Ana Riverbed in Jurupa Valley, with flames threatening nearby homes as strong Santa Ana winds complicate containment efforts. The blaze, dubbed the Clay Fire, was first reported near Clay Street and Van Buren Boulevard at approximately 4:45 p.m. Monday and quickly escalated to a Third Alarm fire.

By 5:30 p.m., an evacuation warning was issued for residents in zone RIV-0182-B, covering areas north of Jurupa Avenue, south of Pedley Road, east of Crest Avenue, and west of Van Buren Boulevard. A reception center has been established at Patriot High School on Camino Real for displaced residents.

Video footage from the Citizen App showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky, with aerial views revealing homes perilously close to the flames. Structure protection crews are actively working to safeguard nearby properties, while hand crews and bulldozers are constructing fire breaks to contain the blaze.

“Hand crews worked their way out of the riverbed as bulldozers entered the area to mitigate the spread of flames,” reported Gil Leyvas from Sky5, which is providing live coverage of the incident.

The fire comes as officials warn of a particularly dangerous situation due to the return of strong Santa Ana winds in the 5 Freeway corridor and San Fernando Valley, expected to persist through Wednesday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.