Four Firefighters Perish in Southern California Wildfire

So far the blaze has burned 20,000 acres, and late Thursday night it was only 5% contained.

Esperanza Fire Photo courtesy: California Dept. of Forestry

(RIVERSIDE) - A blazing wildfire in Southern California that investigators say was intentionally set, has claimed the lives of four firefighters, and stranded hundreds of people in a Palm Springs RV park who are cut off from an escape route.

Riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins said it will get hot and there will be sparks and debris, "but they should be ok."

The firefighters that died were trying to save buildings when the fast moving, towering flames overwhelmed them. A fifth firefighter who was with them remained in critical condition, with burns over 95 percent of his body.

Several buildings in the sparsely populated area were burned and mandatory evacuation orders were issued to some 700 people, yet some 400 residents of a recreational vehicle park were left stranded when their only exit road was cut off by the intense and unpassable fire.

So far the blaze has burned 20,000 acres, and late Thursday night it was only 5% contained.

A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of whoever is responsible. Chief Hawkins said the arson "constitutes murder."

The fast-moving blaze began at 1:12 AM in ground brush in Cabazon, Riverside County, an area about 100 miles east of Los Angeles, west of Palm Springs. Officials say it only took 12 hours to blacken the first 10,000 acres.

The blaze has been dubbed the Esperanza fire. When it shot up and was further spread by the hot, dry winds, it began consuming the steep, hard to negotiate California hills.

It is stated that this is the worst single death toll since 2001.