Idyllwild, California is a small town, with fewer than 4,000 permanent residents, in the unincorporated area of Riverside County, California, with almost 2.2 million residents. Idyllwild barely has 1/500th of the county. But our representatives are much aware of the community and the imminent threat and danger that the Cranston Fire has caused and still…
Highway 243 is closed from Banning to Highway 74. However, residents north of McGovern Road in Pine Cove with ID can enter at Banning, according to the Cranston Fire Incident Management Team. Highway 74 is closed from the city of Hemet to Highway 371 at Paradise Corner.
Until the evacuation has been lifted for Idyllwild, mail may be picked up at the San Jacinto Post Office.
Helping to protect Idyllwild from devastation are many local firefighters, from Idylwild Fire, Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service, San Jacinto Ranger District. Here are few:
The Cranston Fire has burned more than 13,000 acres east, south and west of Idyllwild. Fortunately, the only two injuries so far have been minor and no fatalities. Unfortunately, several homes have been lost. The fire burned along Doubleview Drive, Highway 243 to Mountain Center and along Highway 74 into Garner Valley. The following photographs,…
Hello, Idyllwild. News Editor’s note: Since Wednesday morning, I have been trapped in Banning. I did return to Idyllwild yesterday afternoon and this morning. Below are some observations and notes from conversations with many of the firefighting teams. The Cranston Fire began Wednesday morning and quickly endangered the town, near the Idyllwild Arts Academy. It…
Brandon McGlover, 32, of Temecula pleaded not guilty to 15 felony counts of arson, including one for damage of five or more inhabited structures, five for arson of inhabited structure/property and nine for arson of nondwelling. He h as pleaded not guilty to all counts in Riverside County Superior Court. All of the arson charges…
Josh Whitney’s Pacific Slope lumber mill on McCall Park Road in Mountain Center didn’t survive the Cranston Fire but his home did. Photo by Steven King
The one home that burned on McCall Park Road was owned by Mary McDonnell. This photo was taken Saturday morning. Photo by Steven King
