Two fires in Imperial County, ICFD shares preparation tips

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Southern California is no stranger to wildfires.

Just this year California has had more than two thousand wildfires according to cal fire. Including the ones burning right now, like the post fire that has already burned more than fifteen thousand acres in Los Angeles and here in the imperial valley two fires have already burned this week.

Imperial County reported two fires in the area so far this year.

The first fire happened on Sunday, near the center divider on Interstate 8 (I-8), where the Imperial County Fire Department (ICFD) says the fire started due to an RV fire on the side of the road, causing eastbound and westbound lanes of I-8 to close. That fire had burned over 30 acres.

The second fire happened on Monday in Brawley, where a former vacant grocery store, located in the area of Rio Vista Avenue and E-Street, went up in flames, but it had not spread to any nearby buildings and no was reportedly injured.

"I ran out and said call 9-1-1 there is  fire...I started closing the windows my son has asthma so that was my number one priority is to close it because there was a lot of smoke," said Jasmine Piñon, a Brawley resident.

Fortunately, no one was injured and no other buildings were damaged.

We sat down with the Imperial County Battalion Chief on how fires can impact the county.

"It does have a lot of negative impacts...smoke has a lot of toxins a lot of toxic chemicals that can affect people's health specially in the Imperial County with the high winds pollen it pollutes the air...it kind of tends to linger longer than other places and we have bad weather and high cases of asthma within the community...the county," Garcia shared.