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Cranston fire 5 percent contained near Idyllwild; 1 evacuation lifted

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Residents of Pine Cove were allowed to return to their homes late Wednesday night after the Cranston fire ripped through more than 4,700 acres, igniting the day before off of Highway 74 between Hemet and Mountain Center, according to a Twitter post from the San Bernardino National Forest Service.

However, the communities of Idyllwild, Apple Canyon, Mountain Center, Lake Hemet and Hurkey Creek were still under mandatory evacuation orders.

  • The Cranston fire jumped from 25 acres to hundreds of acres within minutes, according to tweets from the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Fire engines and brush trucks wait to refuel at the Chevron station the only business open late night in Idyllwild during the Cranston fire so firefighters could refuel and get a bite to eat in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 26, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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  • Firefighters refuel the trucks and get a bite to eat at the Chevron station the only business open late night in Idyllwild during the Cranston fire so firefighters could refuel and get a bite to eat in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 26, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire brush truck drives past a battalion chief truck refueling at the Chevron station the only business open late night in Idyllwild during the Cranston fire so firefighters could refuel and get a bite to eat in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 26, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A home on Deer Foot Lane burns into the night as the Cranston fire slows in the cool night air after during more than 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire fighters hose down hot spots on a home on Deer Foot Lane as it burns into the night during the Cranston fire slows in the cool night air after during more than 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire’s air attack tankers made a retardant drop which saved homes from the Cranston fire as it grows to over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire fighter walk up Deer Foot Lane past one of the four structors burned during the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire firefighters walk back to their brush truck through the burnt landscape around them at the 3,000ft. maker from the Cranston fire that burned more than 3,500 acres and four structures in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Sheriffs and CalFire investigators look over the starting point at 3,000ft. maker as the Cranston fire jumped from 25 acres to over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG

  • Firefighter Leonard Dimaculangan walks through the thick smoke form along HWY 74 as the Cranston fire grows to over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Flames from the fast moving Cranston fire more than 60 ft. high jump HWY 74 at the top of the hill as it grows to over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • HWY 243 is covered in an fire orange sky as the sun is blocks the sun as the fast moving Cranston fire burns more than 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest near Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire Riverside County Station 23 hoses down hot spots around some of the homes saved on Deer Foot Lane during the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire fighter/paramedic Kyle McDermott of Beaumont Station 66 hosed down hot spots on one of the homes on Deer Foot Lane burned in the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire fighter/paramedic Kyle McDermott of Beaumont Station 66 looks through a home on Deer Foot Lane which burned in the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire fighter/paramedic Kyle McDermott of Beaumont Station 66 hosed down hot spots on one of the homes on Deer Foot Lane burned in the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire fighters walk past and look at one of the homes that was unable to be saved on Deer Foot Lane during the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire fighter hosed down hot spots on one of the homes on Deer Foot Lane burned in the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A Del Rosa Hotshots crew waits to be deployed to the fire line as the The Cranston fire grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire helicopter makes a water drop in heavy smoke on the fast moving Cranston fire along HWY 74 as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Flames from the fast moving Cranston fire more than 40 ft. high jump HWY 74 as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A brush truck engineer looks over his truck as the Cranston fire burns above HWY 74 in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire helicopter makes a water drop as plumes of smoke from the fast moving Cranston fire fill the sky above HWY 74 as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Firefighter Leonard Dimaculangan watches his back fire burn away from HWY 74 to fight the Cranston fire as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Two chairs are left on a rock over looking the valley below behind one of the homes which was a complete loss as the Cranston fire burned four buildings on Deer Foot Lane and more than 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire fighter/paramedic Kyle McDermott of Beaumont Station 66 looks through a home on Deer Foot Lane which burned in the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • CalFire fighter/paramedic Kyle McDermott of Beaumont Station 66 hosed down hot spots on one of the homes on Deer Foot Lane burned in the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to more than over 3,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest in Idyllwild on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire brush crew makes it way through smoke to fight the fast moving Cranston fire along Highway 74 in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Firefighters stay hydrated as they battle the fast moving Cranston fire along HWY 74 as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire helicopter makes a water drop as plumes of smoke from the fast moving Cranston fire fill the sky above HWY 74 as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • Firefighter Leonard Dimaculangan watches his back fire burn away from HWY 74 to fight the Cranston fire as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire brush crew makes it way through smoke to fight the fast moving Cranston fire along HWY 74 as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A tanker is dwarfted by the plums of smoke from the fast moving Cranston fire as it grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A Hotshot firefighter watches as Cranston fire grows to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A CalFire firefighter from Prado 305 keeps watch as investigators look over the starting spot at 3,000 ft maker as the Cranston fire jumped from 25 acres to over 1,200 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest above Hemet on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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Firefighters were still battling the explosive and fast-moving fire in the San Jacinto Mountains Thursday morning.

The latest numbers show 2,174 homes were evacuated, affecting 3,200 people, and five structures destroyed.

The fire was listed as 5 percent contained as of 7:56 a.m. Thursday. Containment is the percent of the perimeter that firefighters have determined the fire will no longer spread beyond.

However, fire officials aren’t sure how exact those figures are, because the blaze is so active and firefighters are focused on fighting it.

Most of their attention is in the Apple Canyon region in the Lake Hemet area, with aircraft and bulldozers helping out.

Capt. Scott Visyak of Cal Fire spoke about the suspected arsonist Thursday morning at the command center set up at Lake Hemet.

“It makes you angry, and it makes you mad,” he said. “But we have a job, and that is our focus now.”

The smell of smoke greeted residents as far away as Redlands and San Bernardino.

Fire investigators said the fire was not an act of nature but the work of an arsonist. Area law enforcement arrested Brandon N. McGlover, 32, shortly after the fire broke out around noon Wednesday, officials said. He was arrested on suspicion of arson of wildland.

More than 700 firefighting personnel were working in high temperatures and low humidity to get a handle on the wildfire. The Idyllwild area, as is much of the Inland Empire, is enduring another excessive heat; the official warning on this one wasn’t expected to be lifted until 9 p.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-90s Thursday and Friday.

Helicopters and airplanes helped fight the blaze, as flames gobbled up two-foot-high brush and six-foot-high chaparral.

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