TOPSHOT - A forest is incinerated by the Oak Fire near Midpines, northeast of Mariposa, California, on July 23, 2022. The California wildfire ripped through thousands of acres July 23 after being sparked a day earlier, as millions of Americans sweltered through scorching heat with already record-setting temperatures due to climb. (Photo by DAVID MCNEW / AFP) (Photo by DAVID MCNEW/AFP via Getty Images)
Los Angeles, California – Southern California’s fire season is stretching well beyond traditional summer months, and this week serves as yet another grim reminder: fire season, in much of California, has become year-round.
As of Monday, at least five separate wildfires were burning across the Inland Empire, threatening homes, shutting down highways, and prompting evacuation orders from Redlands to Hesperia. The most rapidly growing of them—the Wolf Fire near Banning—had scorched 1,165 acres by Sunday evening and forced mandatory evacuations in parts of Riverside County.
First reported around 3 p.m. Sunday near Wolfskill Truck Trail and Old Banning Idyllwild Road, the Wolf Fire advanced quickly through dry brush fueled by hot weather and gusting winds. Firefighters were still working to assess containment as of Monday morning.
Meanwhile, the Lake Fire near Silverwood Lake, which began Saturday afternoon, remained active at 478 acres, with fire crews reporting 10% containment. Though fire activity decreased overnight due to increased humidity and calmer winds, Cal Fire warned that conditions would worsen again by Monday, with winds expected to exceed 30 mph and humidity dropping below 20 percent—conditions that could easily reignite dormant embers or send new fires racing through drought-parched terrain.
Evacuation orders remain in place for communities south of Highway 138 between the I-15 and Route 173, while portions of the Pacific Crest Trail have also been closed due to fire danger. Fire officials have urged hikers, travelers, and nearby residents to remain alert and to monitor conditions as they evolve.
Highway closures and powerline threats have added further strain to the region, as the fires disrupt transportation corridors and risk overloading emergency infrastructure. As of Monday, a portion of State Route 138 remained closed, along with several key access roads to mountain and desert communities.
Also this weekend, the Smiley Fire burned 83 acres near the Riverside-San Bernardino county line. That blaze, first reported Saturday near San Timoteo Canyon Road, is now fully contained, thanks to a rapid response from multiple local fire agencies. No injuries were reported.
But the containment of the Smiley Fire is the exception, not the rule. With the Wolf, Lake, Mandalay, and Mindy Fires still active—and new ones breaking out across a landscape brittle with drought and heat—the Inland Empire is shouldering the brunt of a worsening trend.
Fire season, once a distinct summer threat, now looms over California communities year-round. And as long as the weather stays hot, dry, and unpredictable, so will the danger.
