Thick smoke covers the golden slopes around Banning as the Wolf Fire, a rapidly moving wildfire that has been raging in Riverside County, continues to test crews in the air and on the ground. Since it broke out June 29, the blaze has burned 2,414 acres and remains just 35% contained as of July 2, CAL FIRE reported.
The blaze began just off Old Banning Idyllwild Road and Wolfskill Truck Trail about 70 miles east of Los Angeles (33.88649° N, 116.89942° W). Nourished by dry vegetation and stoked by strong gusts of wind, flames have swept through dry ground. CAL FIRE Riverside Unit Chief Bill Weiser noted,
“This fire is being driven by some of the driest conditions we’ve seen since October 2024 precipitation is 30% below average, and that’s added to a very high fuel load.”
CAL FIRE and Riverside County firefighters are utilizing all available resources to protect structures and repel the advance of this wildland fire. Structures have not been reported lost, but communities in and around Banning have been under several mandatory evacuations.
When flames inched closer to neighborhoods, people rushed to pack their necessities. Banning resident Laura Martinez explained to ABC7,
“We took our paperwork, a couple outfits, and our pet. You don’t think it’s going to get this close until it does.”
While there have been no reported injuries from this incident, air quality in eastern Los Angeles County and sections of the Inland Empire has declined with heavy smoke. There have been public health advisories released that call for everyone to stay indoors particularly those with breathing issues.
The Wolf Fire is just one of 3,290 wildfires that have burned nearly 97,000 acres in California so far in 2025, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). It follows the nearby Juniper Fire, which started on June 30 and has burned 689 acres, currently 30% contained.
There has been a Red Flag Warning issued for Southern California by the National Weather Service for high temperatures, dry air, and strong gusty winds ideal for spreading wildfires. CAL FIRE has even put all outdoor residential burning permits in Riverside County on hold.
For real-time updates, residents can follow CAL FIRE’s incident tracker or local emergency channels. A live map of the Wolf Fire perimeter and air quality reports are also available through county resources.
As California heads deeper into a hot, dry summer, the Wolf Fire serves as a stark reminder: wildfire season is no longer a question of “if,” but when.
