The Freeway Complex Fire

The Freeway Complex Fire broke shortly after 9 a.m. on Saturday November 15, 2008 at Green River Road off the 91 freeway in Riverside County. 

By early Sunday morning the fire had burned in Corona, Yorba Linda and through the Chino Hills State Park, threatening the Carbon Canyon communities of Sleepy Hollow, Oak Tree Downs, Carriage Hills, Western Hills Mobile Home Park and Summit Ranch.  The communities of Vellano, Ridgegate, Summit Ranch and Los Serranos Ranch were also threatened by the flames.

Over 400 residents from those communities were sheltered at Ayala High School on Peyton Drive in Chino Hills.  Large animals were sheltered at the Chino Fair Grounds in Chino, while small animals were housed at the McCoy Equestrian Center in Chino Hills.

As the fire raged, Chino Valley Independent Fire District firefighters were joined by firefighters from multiple agencies to protect resident’s homes.  Fire engines were strategically placed in the area for structure protection and air drops were made while hand crews and bulldozers cut lines along the rolling hills.  At the height of the firefighting operations in Chino Hills, there were approximately 512 personnel on 32 Engine Strike Teams (each strike team consisting of five engines and a strike team leader), 22 hand crews and 15 bulldozers cutting line, 11 water tenders and 15 overhead personnel on scene for an estimated total of 972 assigned personnel within the district.

When the firefight was over in the Chino Hills area, not a single home was destroyed by the fire.

click on image above to view photos of the fire