Whitewater

Community in Riverside County

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Report created October 27, 2026 at www.firezones.info/community/85208/whitewater

  • Fire hazard severity zones

    Share of the land in each CAL FIRE hazard class

    36% High

    Most of the High land is in the State Responsibility Area, where the State Fire Marshal's zones apply.

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  • Fire history

    Share of the land inside a recorded wildfire perimeter

    60% has burned

    Most recently the 2012 Whitewater Fire, which burned 15 acres here, one of 16 fires on record.

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  • Power line fire risk

    Share of the land in the High Fire-Threat District

    98% Elevated

    Utilities may shut off power in the CPUC High Fire-Threat District in fire weather, and homes outside it can lose power when their lines run through it.

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Land by hazard class

  1. High 2,250 acres · 2,220 state, 31 local 36%
  2. Moderate 2,127 acres · 2,116 state, 12 local 34%
  3. Non-wildland 44 acres · Local Responsibility Area 1%
  4. Not mapped by CAL FIRE 1,900 acres · Mostly federal land 30%

6,321 acres of land in all, 4,335 in the State Responsibility Area and 86 in the Local. State zones are the ones the State Fire Marshal designated, in effect since 1 April 2024. Local zones are CAL FIRE's 2025 recommendation, which each city or county adopts by ordinance and can make stricter. How to read fire zones

Largest fires

  1. 1979 Whitewater Fire 1,895 acres
  2. 1975 Unnamed fire Of 1,877 acres in all 1,814 acres
  3. 1980 Blue Fire 516 acres
  4. 1981 Unnamed fire 471 acres
  5. 1995 Excelsior Fire Of 1,819 acres in all 427 acres
  6. 2012 View Fire Of 376 acres in all · Cause: Equipment use 350 acres
  7. 1982 Unnamed fire 296 acres
  8. 1995 Verbenia Fire Of 21,444 acres in all · Cause: Equipment use 224 acres
  9. 1980 Whitewater Fire Of 397 acres in all 211 acres
  10. 2011 Cabazon Fire Of 99 acres in all 98 acres

And 6 smaller fires. In all, 3,819 acres of Whitewater have burned. Acres are the land each fire burned here, and fires that crossed less than an acre are not counted. Some older or smaller fires may be missing, and a fire perimeter can include unburned patches. How to read fire history

Sources

Fire hazard severity zones
CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal
State map published 27 June 2025, local map 2 February 2026
Fire history
CAL FIRE Fire and Resource Assessment Program
Published 28 July 2026
Power line fire risk
California Public Utilities Commission
Published 23 February 2026

This site is independent and not affiliated with CAL FIRE or the CPUC, so for an official determination, check with the agency or your city or county. How we read the data

Nearby areas

ZIP codes in Whitewater

Neighboring communities

  1. Whitewater 36% High · this area
  2. Desert Hot Springs 68% Moderate · <1% High
  3. Palm Springs 25% Moderate · 2% Very High