Riverside firefighters battle growing Mandalay fire; residents ordered to flee

A four-alarm vegetation fire was burning in the city of Riverside on Sunday afternoon, consuming more than 60 acres by 4:30 p.m. and spurring evacuations, officials said.

The fire had caused heavy, drifting smoke, which had prompted 911 calls from concerned residents, the Riverside Fire Department said on Facebook.

The department said five mutual-aid engine companies and Cal-Fire had joined in the firefight. Mandatory evacuations were in place for an area of the city north of Arlington Avenue, south of the Santa Ana River Trail, east of Mitchell Avenue and Valley Drive, and west of Jurupa and Crest avenues.

An evacuation center was set to open at La Sierra Senior Center, at 5215 La Sierra Ave., the Riverside Police Department said in a Facebook post at 4:10 p.m.

Officers were assisting with traffic control and had closed Tyler Street between Arlington and Jurupa avenues including all surrounding side streets. Residents on some streets were being advised to “please GO NOW.”