Airport

Airport Fire fully contained following mop-up operations in Thermal

The Airport Fire burned through desert vegetation near Higgins Drive and Manny Villegas Way in Thermal before crews halted its forward spread. Firefighters completed mop-up and patrol operations across all sectors to bring the fire to full containment. The fire presents no threat to surrounding communities or infrastructure today.

Evacuations and Closures

• No evacuation orders or evacuation warnings were issued during the incident as of September 4, 2026.
• Airport Boulevard was closed at Tyler Street for emergency response operations on September 4, 2026.
• Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport was placed under a precautionary closure during firefighting operations on September 4, 2026.

Impact

Officials reported zero civilian or firefighter injuries on September 4, 2026. Blowing smoke and ash prompted advisories on September 4, 2026, for nearby residents to stay indoors with windows and doors closed.

Conditions and Outlook

Northerly winds are forecast to ease and shift toward the south and southeast over the coming days, accompanied by a warming and drying trend with minimal rain chances. With perimeter containment established, fire activity is not expected to resume as crews maintain routine monitoring.

Cause and Context

The cause of the fire remains officially under investigation by the CAL FIRE Riverside Unit as of September 5, 2026.

Resources

• CAL FIRE Incident Page
• CAL FIRE Incident Updates

Official updates current through September 6, 2026.