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Cranston Fire causes evacuations east of Hemet, California

Above: 3-D map view of the Cranston Fire. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:10 p.m. PDT July 25, 2018.

(Originally published at 7 p.m. PDT July 25, 2018)

Within of about two hours of the Cranston Fire starting at noon today 8 miles east of Hemet, California, it had already burned two thousand acres and had developed a huge smoke column topped by a pyrocumulus cloud.

The fire is burning close to the mountain community of Idyllwild, which has been ordered to evacuate along with Pine Grove, Fern Valley, and portions of Mountain Center.

Highway 74 is closed from the city of Hemet to Lake Hemet.

At 6:30 PDT fire officials estimated it had burned approximately 3,000 acres, but getting a good estimate is difficult with the rapid spread of the fire and the enormous amount of smoke being generated.

map Cranston Fire
Map of the Cranston Fire. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:10 p.m. PDT July 25, 2018.

There are reports that multiple fires were set today in this general area. One arson suspect was apprehended in Hemet.

map Cranston Fire satellite
Satellite photo of Southern California, showing the Cranston Fire, July 25, 2018.

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