Southern California residents are forced to evacuate as the Highland Fire rages

A Southern California wildfire that began on Monday is now burning nearly 2,500 acres and has prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents.

The Highland Fire, located outside the city of Temecula, took just one day to double in size, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.

The blaze in Riverside County is currently 2,487 acres in size but only 10% contained, officials said.

Cal Fire spokesperson Maggie Cline De La Rosa said in a video message Tuesday that the agency had adequate resources to fight the fire but urged residents to stay alert.

"We just ask that the public please remain vigilant," she said. "If you received an evacuation order, please leave. If you received an evacuation warning, please continue to pay close attention to those."

Some 4,270 residents were facing mandatory evacuation orders, while another 3,976 residents were under evacuation warnings, Reuters reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Three structures were destroyed and six were damaged, while another 2,356 were threatened, Cal Fire said. One injury was reported but no other details were given.

Aguanga resident Carol Rogers told the Los Angeles Times that she didn't know the severity of the fire until she was forced to hurriedly evacuate Monday afternoon.

"I didn't realize it was that bad until I went outside and couldn't breathe," Rogers told the newspaper. "Nobody came to tell us."

According to Cal Fire, easterly winds blowing through the area could continue to push the fire west and southwest, and humidity and winds in the forecast could increase the risk of "erratic fire behavior." Firefighters are encountering steep and rugged terrain as they battle the blaze, officials said.

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