A rash of fires this year has destroyed homes, subjected residents to evacuation orders and resulted in at least one death.
Here are some of the fires now burning in California:
- Loma fire: 2,250 acres burned in the Santa Cruz mountains; destroyed seven structures, including one home; 10% contained as of Sept. 28; began Sept. 26.
- Sawmill fire: 1,500 acres burned in Sonoma County; 55% contained as of Sept. 27; began Sept. 25.
- Canyon fire: 12,518 acres burned at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County; fully contained; began Sept. 17
- Soberanes fire: 128,380 acres burned, one person killed and 68 structures destroyed in Monterey County; 81% contained as of Sept. 27; began July 22
Loma fire destroys one home, triggers evacuations in Santa Cruz mountains
A fast-moving wildfire burning in the Santa Cruz Mountains has scorched at least 1,000 acres, destroyed a home and triggered evacuations.
Flames from the Loma fire are threatening at least 300 structures near Loma Prieta and Loma Chiquita roads, 10 miles northwest of Morgan Hill, in the mountains north of Santa Cruz, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Mandatory evacuations were issued to residents living in homes in the Loma area.
Triple-digit temperatures and dry conditions are driving the explosive blaze, which started about 3 p.m. Monday, according to Cal Fire Capt. Brian Oliver. The fire is 5% contained.
Small brush fire erupts in Elysian Park near Dodger Stadium
Firefighters in Los Angeles on Thursday knocked down a 6.3-acre brush fire that started at 11:45 a.m. in Elysian Park near Dodger Stadium.
A water-dropping helicopter aided about 100 firefighters as they attacked the flames “hard and fast from the ground and the air,” the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement.
High winds and low humidity will create dangerous fire conditions this week, forecasters say
Powerful winds, low humidity and landscapes left very dry from years of drought could create critical fire danger conditions in the Southland this week, starting Wednesday, forecasters said.
Gusty, northerly “sundowner” winds, with gusts up to 40 mph, are expected to begin Wednesday evening along the western edge of the Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara County, said Stuart Seto, a weather specialist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Firefighter killed, another injured in rollover crash while fighting Canyon fire
A Ventura County firefighter was killed and another was injured early Wednesday in a rollover crash near Lompoc as they were hauling water to the Canyon fire at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The firefighters were assigned to a water tender by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and headed to the 12,353-acre wildfire at about 6:20 a.m., when the rollover crash occurred on the westbound California 246, said Capt. Mike Lindbery, spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department.
Where is the Canyon Fire?
‘Very active’ fire at Vandenberg Air Force Base grows to over 10,000 acres
A wildfire burning on the south side of Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc has more than doubled in size since the weekend and now covers 10,542 acres, Air Force officials said Tuesday.
The Canyon fire was 18% contained, and 633 firefighters from federal, state and local fire agencies were battling the blaze.
The fire was “very active” Monday, growing by about 6,000 acres on the north and west sides, Air Force officials said in a statement.
Cultural sites related to the Chumash people and wildlife habitats are potentially threatened by the fire, and there are watershed concerns, military officials said. A team of resources advisers is working with fire crews to identify what is being threatened.
No structures have been damaged.
Where is the Soberanes fire?
The cost of fighting the 189-square-mile Soberanes fire burning near Big Sur has passed $200 million, making it the costliest to fight in U.S. history, according to federal data.
Canyon fire near Vandenberg Air Force Base swells to 4,500 acres
A wildfire burning on the south side of Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc grew to 4,528 acres Monday despite an aggressive air and ground attack to stop flames from advancing.
Over the weekend, the Canyon fire forced officials to postpone the launch of an Atlas V rocket. The rocket was scheduled to take off Sunday and carry the WorldView-4, a commercial satellite that is to snap high-resolution images of Earth, according to United Launch Alliance, the contractor hired to lift the satellite into orbit.
The fire has caused power outages at several buildings on the base, according to Air Force officials. Generators are providing power to those facilities until downed power lines are repaired or replaced, they said.
The Air Force has further restricted public access to the site as crews worked to cut new fire lines and douse spot fires.
1,200-acre wildfire at Vandenberg Air Force Base delays satellite launch
Nearly 800 firefighters from state, federal and local agencies have been dispatched to battle the Canyon fire burning at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
The 1,200-acre blaze has forced officials to postpone the launch of a commercial satellite, authorities said.
“It’s burning in some very tough vegetation,” Wayne Seda, the assistant chief of the Vandenberg Fire Department, told reporters Sunday. “The fire grew rapidly.... It jumped roads at times and came out of the containment lines.”
Where is the Holy fire burning?
The Holy fire in Orange County started in the early morning just east of Trabuco Canyon in the Cleveland National Forest.
The blaze wasn’t threatening any homes but was burning in steep, dry hillsides around Holy Jim Canyon that are difficult for firefighters to reach, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Larry Kurtz.
Update on the Bogart fire in Riverside County: 1,250 acres have burned
Fire officials lifted evacuations for the Banning Bench area Tuesday night, allowing residents with valid identification to return home.
Authorities also said they believe the fire was caused by humans and have asked any witnesses who may have seen juveniles near the entrance to Bogart Park to call the arson hotline at (800) 633-2836.
Firefighters on the scene of the Bogart fire
700 displaced in fast-moving Bogart fire near Beaumont
About 700 people were displaced Tuesday as a fast-moving brush fire burned out of control near Beaumont.
The Bogart fire had burned at least 500 acres and was at 0% containment. About 200 homes were evacuated, according to Cal Fire.
It was burning north of Beaumont in Cherry Valley near the intersection of Winesap Avenue and International Park Road.
One outbuilding was lost, Cal Fire said.
Fast-moving Bogart fire in Riverside County jumps to 400 acres; evacuations ordered
A fast-moving vegetation fire in Cherry Valley spread to 400 acres Tuesday afternoon, prompting evacuations for residents of a mobile home park and some homes northwest of Banning, authorities said.
The Bogart fire was reported at 12:25 p.m. near the intersection of Winesap Avenue and International Park Road, according to the Riverside County fire department.
Within an hour, the blaze jumped to 100 acres, then quadrupled by 3 p.m., fire officials said.
Residents were evacuated in the Highland Springs Village mobile home park and Banning Bench, a rural plateau northwest of Banning. An evacuation center was opened at the Albert A. Chatigny Senior Community Center in Beaumont.
More than 320 firefighters have been assigned to combat the blaze. They are being assisted by five helicopters, two bulldozers and nine air tankers.
Cherry Valley is located off I-10 in Riverside County, with a population of more than 6,300, census records show.
New wildfire threatening homes in Kern County
A new fire broke out Friday in Kern County, prompting officials to ask some residents to evacuate.
The Range fire was burning in the Bear Valley Springs area. More than 600 acres have burned. According to the Kern County Fire Department, more than 400 firefighters were on scene and some were doing structure protection.
The fire is 0% contained. It was burning east of the town of Arvin off Highway 223.
California wildfire updates: Stark drone video shows devastation from Lake County fire
The Clayton fire in Lake County destroyed scores of home and carved a path of destruction through Lower Lake’s downtown area.
New drone footage shows the aftermath of the fire.
KRON-TV said it used the drone after air restrictions were lifted by firefighters.
A Lake County man has been charged with intentionally setting the fire.
Hearst Castle remains closed as Chimney blaze vexes firefighters
The Chimney fire in San Luis Obispo County was burning Tuesday about two miles east of Hearst Castle, where for days crew have been protecting the tourist attraction by cutting multiple fire lines.
The historic 165-room estate remains closed, and tours are canceled through Sunday, California State Parks said in a statement. Visitors with reservations through the weekend will be contacted about refunds, officials said.
The Chimney fire has challenged firefighters, who thought they had gained the upper hand before winds picked up and it exploded over the weekend, officials said. The blaze was mostly moving north, but fire crews were preparing for the winds to shift on Tuesday, said Cal Fire Capt. Lucas Spelman.
The fire is burning over a large area that has created dramatically different firefighting conditions, he said.
On the western side of the fire, closer to the ocean, high humidity on Monday held the moisture in the air and trapped the smoke, making visibility so bad that it grounded firefighting aircraft, Spelman said. On the eastern side, firefighters had had the “exact opposite thing going on,” with “exceptionally low” humidity, dry brush and fast-moving flames, Spelman said.
“It’s almost like the mountains are just doused in gasoline,” said Spelman, who has worked on numerous major wildfires already this year. “The brush is just burning at a rate that’s incredible.”
Right now, we’re at that point where I’m not surprised anymore. Before, maybe we’d have a fire that’d do this once or twice a year, and now everything in the beginning of the fire season is burning explosively. It’s not going to get any better this year. … It’s like we’re at war.”
— Cal Fire Capt. Lucas Spelman
Destructive Blue Cut fire is fully contained
The Blue Cut fire, now fully contained after burning for one week near the Cajon Pass, destroyed an estimated 105 homes and 213 other structures in San Bernardino County and now ranks as the 20th most destructive wildfire in state history, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The massive fire put more than 82,000 residents under mandatory evacuation orders and created major transportation problems when it forced the closure of the 15 Freeway and Highway 138 and scorched a stretch of freight railroad tracks that curve through the Cajon Pass.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.
Where is the Chimney fire burning?
Where are California’s fires?
Hearst Castle still closed, but Chimney fire’s progress is slowed
The Chimney fire expanded to 24,096 acres Saturday night as fire teams worked to prevent its advance toward historic Hearst Castle and other communities.
The fire’s leading edge was about two miles from the National Historic Landmark and museum Saturday, and firefighters have managed to arrest the fire’s advance by concentrating trucks and firefighters in the area between the castle and the fire. Winds and temperatures were also cooperating.
The castle remains closed to visitors.
Images of the Chimney fire as it threatens Hearst Castle
The Chimney fire is now at 17,000 acres and threatening Hearst Castle.
Here are some images from the scene:
Threatened by Chimney fire, Hearst Castle closes until further notice
The Chimney fire in San Luis Obispo County is threatening Hearst Castle and the buildings around it, Cal Fire authorities said Saturday afternoon.
The fire was headed toward the national historic landmark and the leading edge was just two miles away, said Cal Fire spokeswoman Emily Hjortstorp. Crews are expecting winds of up to 20 mph, but the fire isn’t traveling especially fast, she said.
Bulldozers, trucks and firefighters are digging containment lines around the castle, Hjorstorp said. No evacuation orders have been issued for the area.
Destructive Blue Cut fire is 68% contained
Firefighters tightened their grip on the fast-moving Blue Cut fire overnight Friday, capitalizing on humid weather conditions to gain greater control over the 37,020-acre blaze, authorities said Saturday.
The fire, which is 68% contained, has destroyed 105 homes and 213 other structures in San Bernardino County since it broke out Tuesday for reasons investigators are still trying to determine.
Blue Cut fire in the Cajon Pass destroys 105 homes and 213 other buildings
The tally for California’s harsh fire season ascended to even grimmer terrain Saturday as officials announced that the Blue Cut fire in the Cajon Pass has destroyed 105 homes and 213 other structures.
The toll in San Bernardino County caps a week of extensive losses across California, including 300 structures destroyed in Lake County in Northern California when a wildfire raced through the town of Lower Lake, hammering its downtown area.
Satellite imagery shows the Blue Cut fire’s huge burn area
This “false color” image from NASA’s Landsat 8 satellite uses a combination of color and infrared bands to help distinguish burn scars and hotspots from vegetation.
The Blue Cut fire has scorched more than 37,000 acres so far. Satellite imagery captured Thursday shows the extent of the burn area. The Pilot fire to the east burned about 8,000 acres and was 100% contained by Tuesday.
Korean church retreat burned to the ground in Blue Cut fire
Down a narrow dirt road off Highway 138 in Phelan, a popular Korean church retreat center sat in ruins.
About 10 buildings belonging to the Thanksgiving Korean Church were left in large piles of rubble Friday afternoon. Rows of scorched metal chairs remained standing in some buildings. Damaged sinks, stoves and washers in others suggest that they may have been used as living quarters.
Jinny Lee, owner of a cafe off Highway 138, walked past one singed building after another, trying to remember the one where the actual church services would take place.
“Maybe it’s this building,” Lee, 55, said, as she looked at the row of charred furniture.
Woman loses 135 animals, beloved guesthouse in Blue Cut fire
The last time Mabel Ramos saw her peach-colored home was through the rear view mirror of her car as she was pulling out of her driveway soon after the Blue Cut fire started. She saw flames as high as an electricity pole surrounding her property.
“I was thinking, ‘Our Lord dear father, his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit, please, when I leave this gate, take care of my house,’” she said.
Ramos returned to her home late Thursday afternoon. When she got to the gate, she saw the charred Jaguar that she and her husband had driven off in after getting married. Then she saw the guesthouse that she and her husband had built together, now a pile of rubble.
“I cried,” she said. “It was terrible.”
On Friday she stood in what was once the living room of the guesthouse. The charred metal frame of a coffee table stood nearby. Other part of the house were still standing, including a cast iron wood stove.
She said the guesthouse was special. Her grandmother from El Salvador would stay at the guesthouse whenever she visit. Family from Canada also would use it. Her son, who lives in Los Angeles, used it as second home.
The shed that kept the animals also burned down. She lost 135 of her livestock.
“I didn’t have time to even open the door,” she said before crying.
Blue Cut fire evacuations lifted for parts of Phelan
Effective Friday at 1 p.m., the mandatory evacuation orders for Phelan residents west of Baldy Mesa Road to Wilson Ranch Road south of Phelan Road to Mission Street affected by the Blue Cut fire will be lifted, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Baldy Mesa Road south of Phelan Road will reopen.
Eastbound Highway 138 from Interstate 15 to Summit Valley will also reopen.
‘We have been arresting looters’: Deputies patrol Blue Cut fire evacuation zones
Assistant San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus reassured Blue Cut fire evacuees Friday that his department’s primary focus was the protection of evacuated areas.
New fire burning on Grapevine, homes threatened
A new fire was reported Friday in the Grapevine near the town of Lebec in Kern County.
There was no immediate size provided, but officials said some homes were threatened.
Interstate 5 remains open at this time.
Rey fire grows to 1,000 acres and is still 20% contained
Blue Cut fire has destroyed nearly 100 homes
The Blue Cut fire raging in the Cajon Pass has destroyed nearly 100 homes, officials said Friday as firefighters focused their efforts on areas near the mountain resort town of Wrightwood, where dry brush hasn’t burned in years.
According to preliminary estimates released by San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig, 96 homes and 213 outbuildings have been destroyed by the fire, which has consumed 37,000 acres.
Wrightwood on the west flank of the fire is dotted with apartments and small homes and has the highest housing density in the area.
The blaze is 26% contained, officials said, up from 22% Thursday evening.
Truck driver in Cajon Pass ‘just kept driving’ and prayed the freeway would reopen
Kevin Holladay had a lot of time to think about whether he would risk the drive on the 15 Freeway.
He was on the road from Illinois to Anaheim to reload his tanker truck with chemicals. But there was a problem: The Blue Cut fire had closed the freeway.
Holladay, a thin man with blue eyes, long gray hair and a thick horseshoe mustache, said he listened to the news on the radio to keep tabs on the fire.
“I just kept driving,” he said, as he stood at the truck stop just off Highway 138 on Friday morning.
The Outpost Cafe sat nearby, a slogan hanging from its wooden roof: “The Place for meeting, eatin’ and getting gas.”
Holladay said he was praying the flames would calm down -- not because of the drive, but because of the destruction. He said his thoughts drifted to residents whose homes and animals were threatened by the wildfire.
He said that as he crossed into Nevada, he saw road signs that said the southbound 15 Freeway was still closed. At Las Vegas, another sign: still closed.
“I followed my instinct,” said Holladay, 53.
At the California-Nevada border, he saw another sign: The freeway was open. As he drove through the area, he saw some of the damage left behind.
“I was shocked,” he said. “Stuff you’ve seen for years is gone.”
‘We were laughing. Then we realized, this is really serious. We need to get out,’ Santa Barbara camper says
Kyle Joachim and his wife were driving back to their campsite in Santa Barbara County when they saw a strip of the hillside go up in smoke. Curious, the couple pulled over to take a look at what had happened.
As they watched the flames fan out, Joachim called 911.
“I couldn’t believe how quickly it spread,” he said.
Joachim, 36, and his family had been staying at the Fremont campsite. The edge of the Rey fire was only about a mile from the site, he said.
The seven of them had spent two days hiking around the area -- including parts of the forest that are now up in flames -- played games and checked out nearby restaurants.
They had planned on staying until Friday morning, but around 3:45 p.m. Thursday, a sheriff’s deputy came to the site and told the campsite host that everyone needed to evacuate.
A wildfire had erupted near the White Rock day use area nearby, the deputy told him. Joachim and his family quickly packed up their two tents and loaded their gear into their cars.
About a dozen people were staying at the campsite, Joachim said. Large signs at the entrance had advised campers that they could only make fires in designated areas, he said.
“The camp host came around the first day and was very specific that we could only have fire in the firepits,” Joachim said. “They had jugs of water next to the pits that said, ‘For fire only.’”
After speaking with the deputy, the camp host seemed panicked, Joachim recalled.
“At first we were laughing. Then we realized, this is really serious. We need to get out,” he said.
Blue Cut fire grows to 37,002 acres and is 26% contained
The raging Blue Cut fire in the Cajon Pass grew to 37,002 acres Friday morning, fire officials said.
Crews continued to focus on communities west of the fire, such as Lytle Creek and the mountain resort town of Wrightwood, which is dotted with apartments and small homes and has the highest housing density in the area.
The blaze is now 26% contained.
Firefighters centered their efforts on Lone Pine Canyon Road, the backdoor into Wrightwood, in hopes of preventing the flames from jumping over the ridge. Still, gusty winds, high temperatures and low humidity persist and could create the same challenges that have haunted crews since the fire broke out Tuesday.
Although the Blue Cut fire calmed slightly overnight and halted its march north and east, a red-flag warning remains in effect.
Some signs of progress were evident Thursday afternoon.
Mandatory evacuations were lifted in several communities, and Caltrans reopened the 15 Freeway, a key trucking and commuter route that runs from San Diego, through the Inland Empire and across the Mojave Desert into Nevada.
Its two-day closure had contributed to massive congestion, creating nightmares for both travelers and those trying to evacuate.
Highway 138, another major roadway in the area, was expected to remain closed until further notice, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Fast-moving wildfire burning above Santa Barbara; evacuations ordered
A 500-acre brush fire north of Santa Barbara is burning out of control Thursday evening.
The Rey Fire was racing through dry forestland off Paradise Road amid winds and temperatures in the 90s, accoridng to Mike Eliason, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
Caltrans said a portion of Highway 154 was closed and urged motorist to use U.S. 101 as an alterative route.
Officials said some mountain cabins have been evacuated.
Blue Cut fire continues to grow as some evacuation orders are lifted
The Blue Cut fire grew to 35,969 acres by Thursday night -- an increase of more than 4,000 acres since the morning, authorities said.
Firefighters also increased their containment of the blaze to 22%, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The containment previously was 4%.
The unruly blaze is continuing its northerly march toward the high desert communities of Phelan, Wrightwood, Baldy Mesa and South Hesperia, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Lytle Creek, a small mountainous community along the fire’s southwestern flank, was also under threat, officials said.
Some evacuation orders were lifted Thursday afternoon, including East Oak Hills and South Hesperia. Later in the day, authorities also allowed residents in West Oak Hills to return.
Woman who lost everything to fire years ago refuses to be ‘blindsided’ again
Thirteen years ago, when the Grand Prix fire erupted in Lytle Creek, Sheri Sladwick had little time to pack. She stuffed her children, dogs and some clothes in the car before racing down the mountain to safety.
She returned to nothing.
Her two-story rental home, six family cars and treasured crystal collection disappeared in the flames.
On Tuesday, when San Bernardino sheriff deputies issued a mandatory evacuation as a fast-moving brush fire exploded in the Cajon Pass, Sladwick took time to pack the things she could not live without.
“This time I took a little longer because I didn’t expect to come home to anything again,” she said Thursday at a Red Cross evacuation center where residents forced to flee their home found refuge from the Blue Cut fire.
For an hour, she ran back and forth between her car and the sprawling lot where her three-bedroom home sat. She filled her Jeep Cherokee with three dogs, clothes, tools and her beloved crystal beads.
“I couldn’t stop to be choosy,” Sladwick, 46, said. “There were too many things that if I stopped and thought about it I just would’ve said, ‘Aw, I need this.’ There was just not enough room or time.”
Her belongings still block the back window of her truck, which is parked outside the Jessie Turner Community Center. There, in the parking lot, Sladwick strung up two blankets between two trucks to provide shade from the brutal sun.
She said she’s still reeling from the evacuation.
“That was the last thing I expected to do that day,” she said. “I had other things to do. I don’t even remember what was so important right before that that I worried about getting done. Now, I don’t even think about it.”
She has other concerns.
Her phone has been buried in the mess in her truck. She can’t bear to watch the news, worried that she might see her home. The last two nights she has slept in her truck because the shelter won’t allow pets.
Neighbors told her that her community center was destroyed, friends’ homes were lost and other structures burned. Later, she was told that the fire never made its way down into her enclave. She doesn’t know what to believe.
“Last time, I thought we were good,” she said. “I was blindsided. I don’t want to be blindsided again.”
Suspected looters arrested in Blue Cut fire evacuation area
Three people were arrested on suspicion of looting in a Blue Cut fire evacuation area Thursday morning, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Daniel Mervine, 27, of Jurupa; Natasha Rovinsky, 27, of Diamond Bar; and Trevor Sanchez, 29, of Riverside, were arrested on suspicion looting and grand theft auto, according to the department.
The trio were spotted driving a large flat-bed truck from a residence in the 8600 block of Swarthout Canyon, in unincorporated San Bernardino County, at 7 a.m.
“The suspects told deputies they were picking up property for a friend that lived at the residence. Deputies made contact with the property owner who advised that he did not give anyone permission to take his property,” a department statement said.
Anyone with further information on suspected looting is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Central Station at (909) 387-3545.
‘We’ve been through a few of these,’ says resident who stayed to protect home from Blue Cut fire
Michael Barnes has lived in his home along Highway 138 for about 23 years. When the Blue Cut fire erupted Tuesday, he and his family stayed.
“We’ve been through a few of these and we stay here,” he said. “We keep it pretty much pushed back to give us a chance. The fire department, they rolled in and they rolled out before the fire hit. We were here to stop the fire. I don’t know where they went.”
He and his family have dealt with four fires, including this one, he said.
The fire came from the southeast. His family saw it coming and began using a tractor to clear brush as trees near their home caught fire.
Family members ran around with buckets and hoses and used a water truck to put out hot spots.
“I’m glad it’s still here,” Barnes said of his home.
A construction company let the family use its equipment, which included the tractor and water truck, he said.
“It saved a few homes,” Barnes said. “We were using that to try and help others out.”
The water truck helped save the home of a neighbor Barnes had sent his son to check on.
“He got up there and came running back down and said he was in bad shape,” he said. “So we went up there and helped him out. Pretty much everything around his house burnt. He lost his tools, his barn, his equipment. But his house is standing.”
Others along Highway 138 were less fortunate, including a few neighbors who lived behind Barnes.
As fire threatens his home, a Phelan man flees to his van
John Paik, 77, has lived on a steep hill off Highway 138 for a decade, but on Tuesday, he fled to a friend’s house as the Blue Cut fire crept toward his home in Phelan.
The fire burned a small lot filled with cars about 100 feet from his home, but so far, Paik’s house has been spared.
Paik said he has lived intermittently in his van over the last two days. When he left his house Tuesday night, he said, he didn’t bring anything with him, but returned to his powerless home the next day to get clothes and his passport.
“The firemen worked hard,” he said. “I had … confidence, maybe overconfidence, so I just brought nothing.”
As Paik drove in his van (which was stocked with cat food in the front seat), he stopped twice to chat with his neighbors. One asked Paik for an update on the fire.
Paik said he plans on staying in the area, for fear that if he leaves, it may be hard to get back up the dirt road to his home.
Asked why he moved to the desert, Paik said it reminds him of home in South Korea, filled with dirt roads and rolling hills and occasionally dusted with snow.
No clear path to extinguishing Blue Cut fire, expert says
Fire crews’ safety is always high on the list of priorities for first responders battling explosive flames, said Sam Lanier, a retired fire captain.
Firefighters use standard guidelines to maneuver amid a fire, he said, prioritizing life safety over property conservation and property conservation over environmental protection. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
“It helps the firefighters,” he said, “but every fire is different. There’s not a set ‘If this is happening, do this.’ It’s all up to the best judgment of the firefighters.”
Aircraft are the biggest help in fighting a massive blaze like the Blue Cut fire, said Lanier. As the air attack crews explore the land from above, they broadcast the problem areas to field troops over the radio.
“There is no premade map to say we’re going to protect this area first,” Lanier said. “It’s what they see on the ground and what they see in the air that determines whatever they can do to help to mitigate the firefight.”
There is a common misconception that firefighters will protect the most expensive properties or biggest towns first, Lanier said, but that’s never the case.
“Firefighters are blind to the cost,” he said. “The job is to go and save as much as possible.”
The difficulties firefighters throughout the state face are compounded by drought conditions, he said. The drought leads to “beetle kill,” he said, referring to when beetles harvest and live on dry pine.
The insects essentially infect the trees, leaving them bone-dry, ready to ignite.
Fire crews in the Cajon Pass have likely had difficulty assessing the damage and number of homes lost because of safety concerns and protocol that grants wildland firefighters the right of way over those who assess.
“It can affect the wildland firefighting if there’s multiple vehicles out there,” Lanier said. “The engines have to get to the homes and get into the other areas. If multiple vehicles are there, it’s hard to get out.”
Utility companies are not allowed on roads either, he added, because first responders want to keep the vehicle count on the roads low.
Crews are likely now focused on perimeter control, Lanier said.
“That’s always a very tough one when you’ve got very active winds and fuels that are extremely dry,” he said. “It’s been a long fire season.”
Beverly Hills firefighters aid dogs that survived Blue Cut fire
While on patrol in Phelan looking to mop up spots fire, Beverly Hills firefighters paused to assist two dogs that appeared to suffer from smoke inhalation.
The firefighters left two silver buckets for the dogs -- one with food and another with water.
The dogs were eventually recovered by San Bernardino County animal control officers.
Blue Cut fire wreaks havoc along Highway 138
The earth around Highway 138 is scorched. The power poles that stand are blackened. Others, their wood splintered, lean.
A pinwheel spins in a backyard, near the smoldering carcass of a home. Nearby, in a garden, a sign creaks, swaying gently in the breeze. It reads:
“The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of the birds for mirth
Ones is nearer God’s <3 in a garden
Than any place on earth”
The wood that holds up the entrance to the garden is charred and one of the doors is burned black.
Inside the garden, crosses are planted bearing names and dates. One of them reads “RIP,” with one of the wooden pieces hanging after being scorched by the fire.
Farther down the road, the wheels of a burned car are almost gone.
The breeze stirs up the ash, sending it swirling along the ruins.
On Lone Pine Canyon Road, pieces of a charred house remain
There are only three homes here on Lone Pine Canyon Road — two at least partially saved, one destroyed.
The destroyed house, small and built of rocks and cement, was charred by the Blue Cut fire that swept through this area in recent days. On Thursday, it sat blackened at the end of Lone Pine Canyon — a long, narrow dirt road that winds past oil drums.
A thin plastic pipe attached to the house leaked water, and panels from the home’s tin roof dangled among charred cans — some forced open by the heat of the fire. The metal frame of a bed and a toilet seat remained, shattered.
A second building on the same property also laid in rubble, though weeds sprouting through cracks of the building’s foundation suggested it long had been unoccupied.
Only a chimney survived the destruction.
Fire spokesman: Homes lost in Swarthout Canyon and West Cajon Valley; Wrightwood and Lytle Creek are under threat
The Blue Cut fire calmed slightly overnight and halted its march north and east, fire officials said Thursday morning.
But communities to the west of the fire — such as Wrightwood and Lytle Creek — remain threatened, said Eric Sherwin, an incident-response spokesman with the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
“Of all the communities under mandatory evacuation, the highest housing density exists within the community of Wrightwood,” Sherwin said.
The mountain-resort town is filled with apartments and small homes — not the sprawling ranch-style properties that dot the landscape in surrounding neighborhoods, Sherwin said.
If the fire behaves Thursday similar to how it did Wednesday, crews fighting the flames will face challenges.
The heat from the fire, fueled by dry brush, has created intense flames that have pushed through the retardants laid down by air crews, Sherwin said.
“Multiple times yesterday the fire jumped the retardant line,” Sherwin said. “We have the potential for that type of activity to return.”
Because the fire is still exhibiting erratic behavior, damage assessors have not been able to survey the destruction caused by the blaze, officials said. But they say that they know homes have been lost in Swarthout Canyon and West Cajon Valley.
Firefighters are focusing on Lone Pine Canyon Road — a backdoor to Wrightwood — to prevent the blaze from jumping over the ridge and into the mountain community. But nature is not on the firefighters’ side, as gusty winds, high temperatures and low humidity persist.
Explosive fire behavior, typically seen between 2 and 4 p.m., is occurring as early as 10 a.m., officials said.
“This fire,” Sherwin said, “is large and complex.”
Putting out hot spots along Highway 2
Scared and alone in Lytle Creek, resident waits for the lights to come on
A greeting painted along Lytle Creek Road welcomed residents to the area Thursday morning, though the town seemed mostly deserted. The sun’s rays highlighted the fire retardant-covered ridges and caution tape fluttered in a slight breeze outside empty homes.
Maria Hadaway, 62, likened it to a “SpongeBob SquarePants” episode in which the cartoon character wakes up alone in his town.
“That’s me -- I’m SpongeBob in Bikini Bottom,” she said. “It’s pretty scary. ... I’m hoping they let everyone up here, because I don’t like being alone.”
Hadaway, who has lived in her home off Lytle Creek Road for about 13 years, stayed because of her dogs. Sitting outside her home with a neighbor Thursday, she said authorities had come to her door, but Hadaway locked up, closed the drapes and didn’t answer.
Until Wednesday, Hadaway hadn’t worried much, but when the lights went out and the smell of smoke filled the air, she said she “got scared.”
Although the community still has water, Hadaway said her supply runs on an electric pump. So she’s been going to a creek near her home to fill buckets full of water to flush the toilet.
“I just wish the electricity would come back on,” Cestari said.
Meanwhile, fire trucks zipped up and down Lytle Creek Road on Thursday, a welcome sight for Hadaway, “because then I know everything’s OK.”
Twitter user captures Blue Cut fire in stunning time-lapse video
Blue Cut fire leaves behind a tangled mess
Work crews prepare to repair downed power lines damaged by the Blue Cut fire on Highway 138 at the junction with the 15 Freeway.
The wait continues on the southbound 15 Freeway as Blue Cut fire rages
As the Blue Cut fire continues to grow, authorities are stopping traffic at multiple locations.
Traffic heading west on Main Street is being stopped at Highway 395. Drivers are being asked to get on the 395 and head north.
Meanwhile, cars heading west into Phelan on Bear Valley Road are being stopped before reaching Baldy Mesa Road -- a key Phelan artery that runs north and south.
Truckers are feeling the pain of the continued closure of the southbound 15 Freeway. About 25 big rigs are parked in dirt lots and along curbs near Main Street in Hesperia.
Full moon shines light on destruction from Blue Cut fire
Blue Cut fire leaves smoldering ruins behind
Times reporter Ruben Vives is back out on the scene of the Blue Cut fire this morning.
More than 1,500 firefighters are battling the Blue Cut blaze
More than 1,500 firefighters continue to battle the Blue Cut fire on Thursday as flames ripped through canyons and flatlands and reduced homes to ash and rubble.
Although crews made some progress against the blaze, which was 4% contained as of 6:30 a.m., a red flag warning is still in effect, meaning weather conditions are prime for a fast-moving, destructive wildfire.
As night falls, firefighters toil to protect homes in the fire’s path
As night fell Wednesday, the Blue Cut fire marched toward Highway 2, also known as the Angeles Crest Highway.
Dozens of homes along this stretch of the highway -- communities including Wildhorse Canyon and Wrightwood -- stood in the path of the blaze.
Meanwhile, firefighters in Lytle Creek, near the fire’s southwestern flank, toiled to control the flames and prevent the fire from decimating the small, rural community.
Special helicopters equipped to fly in darkness were deployed, according to Melody Lardner, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service. More than 1,500 firefighters have been dispatched, with more crews and helicopters en route, the forest service said.
Officials are expected to provide updates Thursday morning about the status of the Blue Cut fire, which was only 4% contained.
In the meantime, check out coverage by reporters and editors at the Los Angeles Times:
Northbound 15 Freeway reopens through Cajon Pass after devastating wildfire, CHP says
The northbound lanes of the 15 Freeway through the Cajon Pass reopened late Wednesday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The freeway, a key trucking and commuter route that connects Southern California with Nevada, was closed after the 25,626-acre Blue Cut fire erupted Monday in San Bernardino County.
The CHP reopened the connector road between the northbound 15 Freeway and the 215 Freeway about 10:15 p.m. Shortly thereafter, the northbound 15 Freeway lanes were reopened.
Several off-ramps from the freeway remain closed, including Kenwood Avenue, Cleghorn Road, Highway 138 and Oak Hill Road, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The southbound lanes of the 15 Freeway, as well as Highway 138, another major roadway in the area, were expected to remain closed until further notice, according to the CHP.
Caltrans crews were working to repair guardrails and sections of the road damaged by the massive fire.
The freeway runs from San Diego, through the Inland Empire and across the Mojave Desert into Nevada. The reopening of the roadway will probably ease congestion prompted by the massive evacuation of residents around the Blue Cut fire’s burn area.
Caltrans advised motorists to drive with a full tank of gas and to be prepared for delays.
Night view of the Blue Cut fire
Columns of smoke from the Blue Cut fire are visible from space
A NASA satellite passed over Southern California just before noon on Wednesday, and it captured a bird’s-eye view of the 25,600-acre wildfire in the mountains of San Bernardino County.
From high above, the Blue Cut fire appears as three plumes of smoke from the mountains east of Los Angeles. The urban sprawl of L.A. and its surrounding cities look like a stretch of gray abutting the deep blue ocean.
NASA said the cloud of smoke spreads northeastward over the eastern boundary of California and extends into Nevada.
The imaging tool used to capture the snapshot of the smoky blaze was built and is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. The satellite on which the imaging instrument is affixed is managed by a NASA office in Maryland.
Couple hunker down in Phelan, pledge to fight for their home
For about 30 years, John and Diane Hayball have lived in their home on Johnson Road in Phelan. They raised their three sons there and built lives for themselves.
Living in a rural outpost, 68-year-old John said, means being prepared for anything – including the Blue Cut fire that has driven many of his neighbors from their homes. The Hayballs stayed behind, though, choosing to try and fight if the flames drew near.
On Tuesday, Diane, 65, was babysitting her granddaughter when she happened to walk outside and saw a plume of smoke.
“By the time I came in and told [John] and we both came outside again, it was just massive,” she said of the fire. “That’s how fast it grew.”
Diane soon got a call ordering mandatory evacuations in the area, which she said seemed premature.
Still, the couple laid out hoses and shovels to prepare. And if things get hairy in the coming hours and days, John said his family has three vehicles they can use to get themselves, their two dogs and two cats out.
“We will fight,” John said. “We don’t give in.”
In fact, the couple said they were ready to take on looters.
“We have guns,” John said. “If you loot, we shoot. It’s that simple.”
The Hayballs already have some experience staying put.
Twenty years ago, another fire prompted sheriff’s deputies in a helicopter to order evacuations.
The couple didn’t leave then either, John said.
“Bottom line,” Diane said, “it’s home.”
Evacuees face freeway closures and jammed back roads
The Cajon Pass is one of Southern California’s most vital transportation links, connecting Los Angeles to Las Vegas and serving as a key shipping route for trucks headed east with produce and goods.
The massive wildfire that ripped through the pass this week closed several major freeways and roads, causing a commuter nightmare that also complicated the massive evacuation effort. Motorists and truckers were left stranded on either side of the closure.
Officials closed dozens of miles of two major commuter and trucking arteries after flames from the Blue Cut fire roared down a mountainside Tuesday night and jumped the 15 Freeway, damaging guardrails and scorching abandoned big-rig trucks.
Commuters and evacuees sought alternate routes to the 15 and Highway 138 on Wednesday, taking smaller, mountainous roads toward the high desert and to Los Angeles. Traffic snarled most roads in the area, with jams rippling outward to Yucca Valley in the east and to San Bernardino in the west.
Blue Cut fire now 4% contained; burn area revised to 25,626 acres
By late Wednesday, the Blue Cut fire had burned 25,626 acres and was 4% contained, according to Melody Lardner, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.
The official measurement of the raging wildfire in the Cajon Pass was about 4,400 acres less than reported earlier in the day – a discrepancy that officials attributed to more precise mapping of the burn area. Previously, fire officials said the blaze was not contained.
The Blue Cut fire has forced more than 82,000 residents to evacuate, and officials said all evacuation orders and road closures – including the closure of the 15 Freeway – remained in place.
More than 1,500 firefighters were working Wednesday to control the blaze.
2015 Rocky fire was sparked by illegal marijuana operation, officials say
A fire that destroyed 43 homes last year in a largely rural area north of San Francisco was sparked by an illegal marijuana growing operation, officials said Wednesday, and the two suspects fled the country before they could be questioned.
The Rocky fire burned about 108 square miles in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties, destroying 43 homes and 53 outbuildings before it was contained.
It began near where firefighters are currently battling the unrelated Clayton fire that investigators say was caused by a serial arsonist.
Last year’s fire was started by a faulty water heater near where about 100 marijuana plants were being grown east of Clearlake, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman Janet Upton.
“It was strapped to a tree. Quite inventive and why it was not very safe,” she said.
Longtime Wrightwood resident: ‘I’ve never seen anything like’ Blue Cut fire
Ken Bisson, 68, has lived in a Wrightwood for 32 years and has seen his share of fires.
But the Blue Cut fire is different, he said. He’s amazed by how quickly the hot and dry conditions enabled the fire to burn so many acres in such a short time.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said, watching the fire burn on the side of a mountain near Pacific Crest Estates.
With his hands crossed behind his back, he listened as the fire roared and crept farther north along the side of the mountain.
“As long as the wind doesn’t change we’ll be OK,” he said.
Sitting on his porch not far away, Joe Knowlton, 49, watched as the fire raged.
“I stayed just in case there’s a chance that I can do something to save my house,” Knowlton said. “I know people say you shouldn’t stay because you get in the way, but I just think there’s things you can do as homeowner.”
Knowlton said he watered his home down and was now standing guard, watching the fire. If an ember falls on his property, he said, at least he’ll be around to stop it.
“That’s the difference between the house going up in flames or not,” he said. “That’s why I don’t mind sticking it out.”
Couple keep in contact as husband insists on protecting home
At a supermarket in Phelan on Wednesday, residents grabbed groceries and bottled water as an employee pushed carts outside with a mask over her face.
Jana Maccabe packed up her car, preparing to head back to a friend’s house. She had evacuated from her home in Wrightwood, where she has lived for about 30 years.
Maccabe’s husband, a retired L.A. County firefighter, stayed behind to protect their home.
“It’s what he does,” she said, wiping a tear away. “Do I like it? No. But he’s doing what he does best.”
Maccabe said Wednesday was not the first time she has had to evacuate over the years.
“But this is the worst one that I’ve seen,” she said. “It moved so fast.”
She and her husband have been speaking every hour. As Maccabe loaded the car, her husband called and she filled him in on where she was and what she was doing.
Before the two hung up, she told him she loved him.
Raw video of Blue Cut fire in Lytle Creek, Calif.
Raw video of aerial assault on the Blue Cut fire in Lytle Creek
Prosecutors: Man accused of setting Clayton fire has started several others in Lake County
Clearlake, Calif., resident Damin Pashilk has started or tried to start 17 fires in Lake County since July 2015, prosecutors said.
In a probable cause declaration submitted by an investigator that was released publicly after Pashilk’s arraignment Wednesday, Pashilk appeared to plant most of his fire ignitions near rural highways north and east of the freshwater lake Clear Lake.
According to the document, Pashilk started two fires within 20 minutes of each other on July 2, 2015, along State Route 20, a scenic highway that connects the town to Interstate 5.
The following month, he allegedly tried to start fires in the middle of Clearlake, including one next to Pomo Elementary School.
Surveillance footage put Pashilk’s car near each of the fires when they were started, the document stated. The Pomo Elementary fire was connected to Pashilk by GPS tracker, according to the document.
Pashilk’s activity appeared to subside after the summer, but picked up again last month, the document alleges.
Fires began to spark up again in Clearlake, then farther south in Lower Lake, along Highway 29.
At least a half-dozen fires started along the highway, not far from where the 4,000-acre Clayton fire ultimately ignited.
On July 27, Pashilk allegedly attempted to start a fire near the Holiday Island mobile home park in Clearlake. A week-and-a-half later, GPS trackers put his vehicle near where a matchbook had started a small blaze in Lower Lake, though it burned itself out. Four days later, the Clayton fire began.
According to the document, “Pashilk was interviewed and could not provide an explanation to being at the ignition sites of the fires.”
He was arrested Monday.
‘I’m just a nervous wreck’: Impacted residents stuggle to return home
Traffic slowed to a crawl along Pearblossom Highway on Wednesday, as motorists tried to make their way to Phelan.
As soon as drivers neared signs to continue onto other roads, they were redirected by a CHP officer who said the roads needed to be cleared for emergency vehicles and evacuees.
Penny Koval, 53, waited anxiously on the side of the road for directions on how to get to Phelan. She was desperate to reach her 95-year-old mother, who lives here.
“I’m trying to get to her house to help her get things together. They’re talking evacuation,” Koval said. “I’m terrified.”
Koval had driven 150 miles when she was stopped and turned around.
As she and other motorists tried to find a way in, dozens of other cars -- some pulling trailers -- tried to make their way out.
“It’s so stupid, they should have stopped everyone down there,” said Gina Velas, 43, gesturing down the road where the line of cars grew.
Velas, a Phelan resident, was supposed to work in San Diego for a week, but decided Wednesday to return home early.
“It jumped so fast,” Velas said of the fire. “If we need to evacuate, we will.”
At one point, a swarm of motorists crowded around the CHP officer’s vehicle, waiting for directions.
“I’m just a nervous wreck,” Koval said. “I’m just trying to get there.”
Search dogs look for victims of Blue Cut fire
The Blue Cut fire has destroyed scores of homes, but officials are not sure how many exactly.
There have been no signs about loss of life. But as a precaution, officials brought out search dogs today looking for possible victims.
Here are some photos:
As community burns, some Wrightwood residents frustrated by fire response
Andy Walczynskia, 40, stood on the driveway of his Pacific Crest Estate home in Wrightwood, watching the flames on a nearby mountain that, for most of the day, had been burning slowly.
But by Wednesday afternoon, the flames had grown and were starting to spread. The winds were picking up, too.
“I’m worried,” he said.
For most of the day Walczynskia and other residents were eagerly waiting for helicopters or planes to drop fire retardant along the slope of the mountain to stop the fire from advancing.
“It’s a little frustrating,” Walczynskia said. “Resources are spread thin, but... “
Up the street Dana Cruzan, 55, was furious she hadn’t seen helicopters make water drops. She said her home most likely won’t be saved if the fire reaches the community because it is surrounded by Pinyon pine trees. Firefighters call those trees “fireballs” because they burn easily, she said.
“This is my home and the fire is what, half a mile [away]?” she said as she watched the flames grow. “They said in the news we were going to see this grand sky show. We haven’t seen anything.”
Cruzan said she is packed and ready to go when necessary. She only needs to load her four dogs and two cats and help her 78-year-old mother get into the car.
“Everybody says just leave, but it’s not that easy,” she said. “It’s not easy to leave a 16-year home and a life.”
As Blue Cut fire closes in on Lytle Creek, some residents stay put
See more photos from the gallery >
Cheryl Anaya, 67, had pledged on Tuesday to stay as long as possible at her home in Lytle Creek in order to protect her two-story log cabin and other homes in the neighborhood.
On Wednesday afternoon, she was keeping to that pledge, even as firefighters fought to protect homes just across the road.
“We’re still holding our own,” Anaya said in a phone interview.
They night before, she said, it looked like things were calming and she believed the fire would soon be gone.
“We slept so good,” she said. “Then we woke up to helicopters and planes.”
Anaya believed that some cabins from an RV resort about two blocks from her home, and a number of other structures in the community, had been destroyed.
Like the day before, she said she would be ready to leave when the time came.
“The smoke looks bad,” she said. “We’ll go when we have to.”
Dramatic images show the Blue Cut fire from space
The massive Blue Cut fire has destroyed homes and consumed more than 30,000 acres.
The fire has produced some dramatic images from the ground.
The scene is also remarkable from space. Various satellite images below show smoke from the fire as it burns:
As Blue Cut fire looms, Wrightwood residents pack their bags
Man accused of setting Lake County fire delays entering plea
Damin Pashilk, the Clearlake construction worker accused of setting the devastating Clayton fire and more than a dozen other blazes, postponed entering a plea Wednesday as he appeared in Lake County court.
Dressed in green-striped jail scrubs, the 40-year-old defendant sat in the jury box for his arraignment and sought to hide his face from the throng of media and area residents who attended the arraignment hearing.
Pashilk faces 17 felony counts of arson or attempted arson stretching back more than a year and is being held on $5-million bail.
Through his lawyer, Pashilk said he would enter a plea on Sept. 7.
California Trucking Assn. says impact of freeway closure is ‘unknown’
The California Trucking Assn. released a statement Wednesday on the effect of the Blue Cut fire, which has forced closure of the 15 Freeway in the Cajon Pass.
“At this time, the impact this freeway’s closure will have on truckers and goods movement is unknown,” CEO Shawn Yadon said.
“Like all Californians, our first concern is the safety of those in or near the fire and providing help to those in need. Our thoughts remain with the first responders fighting this devastating fire and the families affected by this tragedy.”
Blue Cut fire now major threat to Lytle Creek as flames march toward communities
The Blue Cut Fire was making a run at the Lytle Creek area on Wednesday afternoon, fueled by strong winds and high temperatures.
Of particular concern was the Mountain Lakes RV community, which was in the direct path of the flames, according to residents posting on social media.
KABC-TV footage showed flames marching down a hill and toward the RV park as well as other structures. The footage showed at least one structure burning.
Water-dropping choppers were in the area.
Air assault on Blue Cut fire above Lytle Creek
Blue Cut fire burning toward Phelan
Striking photo shows intensity of Blue Cut fire
The cause of most California wildfires? People
Wrightwood evacuation holdouts explain why they won’t leave
Angela Adams did not like what she was seeing from her front door: a billow of smoke and flames on a mountain ridge not far from her home.
“I don’t like this view at all,” the 48-year-old said.
She had been keeping an eye on the mountain that sits across from her single-story Pacific Crest Estates home since 5 a.m.
Even though officials ordered mandatory evacuations in Wrightwood, she and hundreds of other residents had chosen to stay behind.
Why? Adams gave several reasons: She has friends who are firefighters who are updating her on the blaze, and she wants to make sure homes belonging to the families who did evacuate aren’t broken into, she said.
But there was also another reason — all of the snowboards, skateboards, hats and clothing that belonged to her 17-year-old son who died in a solo car accident in March.
“I just needed more time to pack,” she said. “I just have to have his stuff.”
Adams moved to Wrightwood from Mission Viejo about 12-years ago. Her husband at the time worked for the Food and Drug Administration and had been given the choice of transferring to San Bernardino County or Fresno.
“It was this or Fresno and I’m not moving over there, so we moved here,” she said.
State and federal fire authorities have announced mandatory evacuations for all of Wrightwood, and sheriff’s deputies went through the community late Tuesday night urging residents to leave.
However, not all residents received a visit by authorities. Until that happens, Adams and others said they would stay put.
An occupational therapist who manages the rehab department at Spring Valley Post Acute Care in Hesperia, Adams said she plans to leave the second she’s told to evacuate or sees the fire getting worse.
Standing nearby was her friend and neighbor, Asha Ramirez, 38, a realtor who said she’d do the same.
“I don’t want to make the firefighters’ job tougher than it already is,” Ramirez said, snapping photos of the large smoke cloud.
Ramirez, who has lived in the neighborhood for five years with her husband and three children, said she didn’t leave because she wanted to wait as long as possible before she was forced to leave. She also didn’t know exactly what to pack.
“I don’t know how long we’ll be gone,” she said. “Plus, once I go down the mountain, I can’t come back.”
She said she trusts firefighters will do everything they can to keep their homes safe when she leaves.
WATCH: Firefighting helicopter scoops water from lake to fight Blue Cut fire
‘This time we just decided to see what happens’; Wrightwood residents defy evacuation order
Ross Hansen lashed a blue duffel bag to the roof of his black SUV as flames crept slowly down a mountainside about two miles from his home Wednesday.
Although Ross and his wife Lisa were defying mandatory evacuation orders, they wanted to be ready to flee if they had to.
The Wrightwood couple said they have evacuated twice before in the past -- mostly because their children were home.
What they say they learned those two experiences though is that they never really had to leave their home to begin with. Nothing burned and firefighters proved to have an excellent track record of protecting the neighborhood.
“This time we just decided to see what happens,” he said.
The wind was relatively calm as Hansen explained himself Wednesday, and there were no drifting embers creating hot spots ahead of the fire. There wasn’t even ash and or smoke.
The couple also took comfort in the fact that there was a crew of firefighters nearby building fire lines and that their daughter was away at college. They said their son is a lot older now and that they didn’t have to worry as much.
“We’re good,” Ross Hansen said.
He said they’d evacuate if the fire reached the bottom of the mountain.
“It would be nice if we don’t have to,” he said.
For one Clearlake resident displaced by the Clayton fire, a ‘go-bag’ is now a necessity
‘We got our butts kicked’: Fire officials recount explosive growth of Blue Cut blaze
It was a recipe for flaming disaster.
Unrelenting heat, gusting winds and tinder-dry chaparral that would snap when touched provided bountiful ammunition for a fast-moving fire that incinerated 30,000 acres of Southern California terrain and forced more than 80,000 to evacuate.
The fire broke out late Tuesday morning in terrain so rugged and steep that “it’s like wadded-up paper” said Michael Wakoski, battalion chief of the San Bernardino County Fire Department and incident commander of the Blue Cut fire.
“It’s almost impossible to move up and down the slopes,” he said. “It makes containment of the fire very difficult.”
The Cajon Pass, a natural wind tunnel, created a funnel that increased wind speeds by 20 mph to 30 mph, pushing the blaze north and helping it jump the 15 Freeway, he said. The fire was spotting half a mile ahead of itself.
“You add the wind, the fuel and the lay of the land and they all line up for a disaster,” he said. “The brush is like stick. They just break off when you walk through them. It’s a disaster that has been waiting to happen all year, waiting for a spark.”
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire that was first reported Tuesday around 10 a.m.
When firefighters arrived, a cargo train moving through the Cajon Pass stood idle on the tracks, Wakoski said. The engineer had abandoned it.
Complicating containment was a patchwork of infrastructure that convenes in the Cajon Pass and services a large swath of Southern California, including electrical power lines, high-pressure gas lines, pipelines for jet fuel and a network of fiber-optic cables.
Firefighters fought hard to get ahead of the fire, but in the end, they could do little to contain it.
“We got our butts kicked,” Wakoski said.
The fire ripped through mountain pine trees, desert yucca, brush and chaparral.
“Fires burn differently in different types of fuel, so you will get a change in fire behavior very quickly. It can go from real slow burning to extreme burning in a heartbeat,” he said.
Three firefighters were treated and released for smoke inhalation.
Wakoski said in his 40-year career fighting fires, he never has seen anything like this.
“We are not even in the hot part of fire season yet,” he said. “This is October-like fire behavior conditions we’re having right now, and we’re only in August, so we are in for a fight.”
Residents leave their homes ‘in God’s hands’
Mary Grass and her husband evacuated their home just above Highway 138 around 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The couple grabbed their horse, dropped it off at a friend’s house in Hesperia and spent the night in Victorville.
“Just wondering about our house now,” Grass, 74, said.
Grass said TV footage of the area showed homes near her neighborhood had burned down. Still, she was calm.
“It’s in God’s hands,” she said. “I’m OK with whatever he has for us.”
When she left her home Tuesday, Grass could see smoke and flames tearing through the hills around her.
“We knew we needed to get out,” said Grass, who has lived in the area for 30 years.
She and her husband have seen a few fires roll through the area, “but nothing like this,” she said. Some neighbors who were stuck at the bottom of the hill in San Bernardino have called to check on their homes, she added.
A couple of houses on the other side of the road have burned.
Grass said she and her husband might go to their daughter’s house nearby and stay there for the night.
“I’m not afraid,” she said. “I have peace. I’m so glad that I do.”
These maps show the areas burned by the Blue Cut fire and which roads are closed as a result
Stranded on the roadway as the Blue Cut fire burns
‘It hit with an intensity we haven’t seen before,’ San Bernardino County fire chief says
In a word, San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig said, damage from the Blue Cut fire has been devastating.
“A lot of homes lost yesterday,” Hartwig said at a news conference Wednesday morning. “There will be a lot of families that will come home to nothing. If there’s a bright side, a silver lining, there are some homes that were saved.”
Hartwig told reporters defensive firefighting remains a priority for firefighters. The 30,000-acre fire remains 0% contained.
“Yesterday, it hit hard, it hit fast, it hit with an intensity that we haven’t seen before,” Hartwig said.
Mike Wakoski, incident commander of the Southern California Incident Management Team 3, said fuels in the area are extremely dry and very explosive.
“In my 40 years of fighting fire I’ve never seen a fire behavior so extreme as it was yesterday,” Wakoski said. “Yesterday’s actions were totally defensive.”
U.S. Forest Service officials said they “hit the fire pretty hard” and asked residents to evacuate -- not stick around to see what happens when authorities give the order.
“If we ask you to leave, you have to leave,” John Miller, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service, told reporters. “The worst thing that can happen is for people to wait to the last minute, dial 911 and firefighters and law enforcement are unable to get people out of their homes.”
The fire in the Cajon Pass is the latest struggle in a challenging year filled with wildfires, officials said.
“We’re going to continue to hit this thing hard,” Miller said.
Cadaver dogs headed to check homes along Highway 138, U.S. Forest Service says
Chon Bribiescas, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service, said fire officials would be sending assessment teams and cadaver dogs Wednesday morning to homes and structures along Highway 138.
There is no indication so far that anyone was killed, but the fire moved fast on Tuesday, Bribiescas said.
Many people “made the decision to shelter in place,” he said. “The fire came so quickly ... we want to make sure nobody was left behind.”
The assessment teams will also be charged with checking for damage at homes, Bribiescas said.
Man accused of setting Lake County fire and many others will appear in court Wednesday
Damin Pashilk, suspected of being a serial arsonist, will be charged Wednesday with multiple counts of arson in connection with the Clayton fire and 11 other blazes since July 2015, according to prosecutors.
Lake County Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard Hinchcliffe said Pashilk will face 17 felony counts of arson or attempted arson stretching back more than a year. The most recent blaze that he has been linked to by authorities consumed hundreds of homes in the area of Clearlake.
Pashilk, who was arrested Monday, will also be charged with possession of methamphetamine and driving without a license. The prosecutor said that Pashilk was not arrested while trying to start a fire, but said he had been under surveillance.
Pashilk, 40, has a lengthy record of arrests, according to officials.
“He is a familiar figure; mostly misdemeanors and some felonies here,” Hinchcliffe said.
More than 10,000 firefighters are battling 8 large wildfires in California
Surveying Phelan, a town affected by the Blue Cut fire
Dramatic ‘fire tornadoes’ show intensity of devastating Blue Cut fire
The Blue Cut fire, which began in the Cajon Pass, has burned with an unusual ferociousness, firefighters say.
A sign of this are the so-called “fire tornadoes” that have been captured in video and still images. Here is some background from The Times archives.
What are fire tornadoes?
Known in the science community as a fire whirl, on social media they’ve become popularly known as a fire tornado or “firenado.” In fact, the phenomenon has been documented, and feared, for more than 100 years, according to a 2012 article in the Journal of Combustion.
What do we know about them?
A fire whirl can occur when trees, a hillside or even a wall of flames forces air to shift or rotate among competing air temperatures and speeds -- and eventually it tilts the rotating air from a horizontal position to a vertical one, giving it the tornado-like appearance.
Some fire whirls dissipate moments after starting because the heat and air flow that maintained them ventilate out. But others can travel and sustain themselves as the heat is lifted on buoyant air, and gas surrounding the whirl pushes it tighter into itself, making it more intense. The air inside the funnel can then act as a compressed, rotating column of gas, according to the study.
Scientists estimate fire whirls burn fuel three to seven times faster than an open flame.
Wind, fuel combine to ignite Blue Cut fire and ‘there’s nothing you can do about it’
Early Wednesday morning, Captain Howard Deets and the Mill Creek hotshots sat near Cajon Boulevard, monitoring the battle against a blaze that was consuming a hill nearby.
Crews on the ground cleared brush and laid hoses as flames flared along the ridge.
A perfect mix of circumstances had combined to create the fast-moving Blue Cut fire, Deets said.
It’s been 13 years since a large fire in this area left the hills and mountains covered in old, dead brush intermixed with new growth.
Then, on Tuesday, the wind moved in just the right way to get the fire going.
“It all aligned. The wind, the fuel and the topography,” Deets said. “When that happens there’s nothing you can do about it. You could throw the world’s fire fighting resources at it and it’s just going to keep going.”
Smoke marks scenes of destruction
Times photographer Marcus Yam is back in the field this morning covering the Blue Cut fire. Here’s a look at what he’s seeing so far:
As fire creeps toward Wrightwood, some residents refuse to evacuate
Even as the fast-moving Blue Cut fire leaves a trail of devastation in its path, hundreds of residents in the tiny resort town of Wrightwood are resisting a mandatory evacuation order -- much to the chagrin of authorities.
Normally, San Gabriel Mountains town would be filled with roughly 4,500 residents. However, many residents fled in the face of a fierce, wind-driven blaze about two miles to the southeast.
On Wednesday morning, nervous holdouts gathered at local gas stations to share information gleaned from the latest news reports, and from telephone conversations with neighbors along rideglines who had clear views of the fire’s progress.
There was little cause for optimism as erratic winds raked the limbs of Jefferson pines, and as firefighters and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s positioned themselves along narrow streets lined with A-frame homes and log cabins.
“A fireman who came into my store this morning bought lots of Gatorade and a muffin – then shook his head and said, ‘Gonna be a bad day today,’” recalled Patrick Boyle, 52, owner of Wrightwood Market.
“That prompted a customer to ask, ‘So, is our town going to burn down?’ “ Boyle added. “The fireman responded, ‘I wouldn’t go that far.’ “
The edgy mood was similar to one that blanketed the community in 2009, when flames propelled by winds swept to within a quarter-mile of homes in the town that straddles Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
Nodding toward a nearby group of deputies chit-chatting and sipping coffee, Michele Lesle, 65, mused, “As long as those fellows don’t panic, I won’t.”
“But if they all of a sudden look worried, I’m packed and ready to scoot,” added Lesle, a 35-year Wrightwood resident.
Like many other holdouts, Lesle made frequent calls to neighbors closer to the fire.
“I called a friend at 6 a.m. and asked, ‘what do you see out there?’ “ she said. “My neighbor said, ‘Lots of smoke, but no flames.”
When Lesle called again an hour later, the neighbor’s report was a less threatening, “Hazy.”
But Lesle was not about to let her guard down.
Gazing up at tree tops wobbling in the wind, she said, “Just hope embers don’t land in those pines.”
Meteorologist: ‘It’s going to be very, very dry’ in Cajon Pass region
There is little weather relief in sight for firefighters battling the Blue Cut fire, the National Weather Service said Wednesday.
“At least for the next couple of days, it’s going to be very, very dry,” said Philip Gonsalves, a meteorologist with the weather service in San Diego. “That’s the conditions that will affect the fire more than anything else. It’s going to be hot, very dry and windy in the afternoons.”
Gonsalves said the weather service has been in touch with the firefighting agencies and responders in the Cajon Pass region where the fire was raging. One major concern, he said, is that there is an abundance of fuel in the area where the fire began.
Vegetation in the area hasn’t burned in a very long time, Gonsalves added, making it vulnerable to wildfires.
Highs will reach the 90s during the day. The winds should drop off at night, the weather service said, but it will still be dry.
“They won’t get much in the sense of humidity recovery in the nighttime hours,” Gonsalves said. “If there’s a fire in a location where there’s good humidity recovery overnight, it helps the firefighters to get a handle on the fire. That’s not the case here.”
Starting Friday, he said, temperatures will cool slightly, and that will help firefighting efforts.
Couple visiting from Spain have trip disrupted by Blue Cut fire
Driving back from a trip to the Mojave Desert, Josep Barberillo, 31, turned on the radio and noticed a burnt sky.
Barberillo had traveled to California from Spain with his wife, Rosa Canizares, and the pair was hoping to make it back to Newport Beach.
Hotels off the freeway were full, so the couple spoke to a police officer who directed them to the shelter in Hesperia.
“We were so surprised because we’re not used to seeing big fires in Spain,” Barberillo said.
Last night, he had milk and cereal for dinner after arriving at the shelter at 10:30 p.m. Pizza and chips were also served before evacuees tried to catch up on sleep.
The couple pulled two cots together to stay beside each other.
Where is the Blue Cut fire burning?
In drought-ravaged California, fires are the ‘new normal,’ expert says
The brush fires blazing throughout California are a sort of “new normal,” said Char Miller, an expert on wildfires and national forests at Pomona College.
“We’re in the fifth year of drought and we’re starting to see the consequences of that,” Miller said. “If you put 20-to-30-mile-per-hour winds in there, those things are going to take off.”
Miller said Southern California’s dry climate, deep drought and Mediterranean ecosystem make it ripe for ongoing fires.
“We’re living where it burns,” he said. “If we are looking at prolonged drought or the drying-out of Southern California in the next century, then we are going to see more things like this.”
Cal Fire Capt. Debbie Chapman with updates on the Blue Cut fire
Capt. Debbie Chapman with Cal Fire updates Blue Cut fire activity.
150-year-old church a victim of Clayton fire destruction
As firefighters gained ground on the Clayton fire Wednesday, some longtime locals, such as church pastor John Pavoni, have been left to chart a path out of the ashes.
A two-block long trail of destruction -- scorched trees, collapsed walls and piles of rubble -- ended at a 150-year-old United Methodist Church on 2nd Street in Clearlake.
“It’s a really small community. It has a downtown that’s one street long -- and it lost half of it,” said Pavoni, the Methodist church pastor for the last three years. “I feel sad for my folks. Pastors come and go but these people stay here. Some called me -- you could hear that their hearts were broken.”
The church was built with a redwood frame during Lower Lake’s farming days in the 1840s. Its roof was eventually improved to cover the small gaps between the wood planks. There were 20 hand-made wooden chairs with antique dowels in the attic, Pavoni said, and a communion table custom built by a congregate.
But now all of it is gone.
“There’s been a lot of tears,” Pavoni said.
Neighbors salvage remnants from roadside diner after Blue Cut fire
A long day begins for Blue Cut fire evacuees in Hesperia
15 Freeway remains closed
Raw Video | Summit Inn destroyed by Blue Cut fire
One casualty of the raging wildfire in San Bernardino County: the Summit Inn, a popular roadside diner at the crest of historic Route 66.
Blue Cut fire expands to 30,000 acres
As fire tears through San Bernardino County, evacuees worry about homes left behind
Mike Martin, 65, was among more than 60 families forced to seek cover from the Blue Cut fire at a Fontana shelter.
An automated call from the San Bernardino County sheriff’s office alerted him about 4 p.m. that the Cajon Pass had closed, removing his only route to his home in Phelan.
He grabbed food from Carl’s Jr. and checked in at the community center.
Martin said he worried what might befall his home, where his wife had welcomed eight people to take refuge.
But his concern also went to the more than 700 firefighters assigned to rout the fires. He knows how difficult it is to fight fires -- he worked as a volunteer firefighter for two years in college.
“You got either a shovel or pulaski in your hand,” he said. “It’s hard. It’s hot.”
Summit Inn, a popular roadside diner, destroyed by wildfire in Cajon Pass
The Blue Cut fire consumes the Summit Inn, a famed family restaurant off Interstate 15.
One casualty of the raging wildfire in San Bernardino County: the Summit Inn, a popular roadside diner at the crest of historic Route 66.
Flames from the Blue Cut fire tore through the historic inn on Tuesday, according to video footage of the inferno.
After opening in 1952, the diner -- outfitted with red leather booths and walls adorned with memorabilia -- became a familiar spot for those traveling to and from the High Desert.
The Summit Inn, which recently changed ownership, had touted its celebrity clientele, including Pierce Brosnan, Clint Eastwood and Elvis Presley.
In 2014, a drunk driver slammed into the restaurant and plowed into the kitchen, causing an estimated $50,000 worth of damage, the Daily Press reported.
Two brush fires erupt at Camp Pendleton
Firefighters at Camp Pendleton were battling two brush fires Tuesday evening, and the larger of the blazes had spread to about 30 acres, authorities said.
The larger fire was burning toward the northeast, approaching the DeLuz housing complex at the Marine Corps base, according to the North County Fire Protection District.
The fire did not threaten the adjacent communities of Fallbrook or Bonsall, according to the Fire Protection District. The Camp Pendleton Fire Department gave a smaller estimate to the size of the fire, stating that the blaze was about 15 acres.
Firefighters were also battling a half-acre vegetation fire that was burning near the Santa Margarita housing area, according to the Camp Pendleton Fire Department’s Facebook page.
It’s unclear what sparked the fires.
Scenes from the firefight: A home burns, a helicopter picks up water
More than 82,000 residents evacuated as wildfire in Cajon Pass spreads
The raging wildfire in the Cajon Pass has spread to 9,000 acres and forced 82,000 residents to evacuate, authorities said late Tuesday.
The Blue Cut fire, which broke out Tuesday about 10:30 a.m., was also threatening 34,500 structures, according to Debbie Chapman, spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
No civilian injuries have been reported. Officials could not provide an estimate on the damage from the flames and smoke.
Gov. Brown declares state of emergency for San Bernardino County
Citing the threat to thousands of homes and structures from the Blue Cut fire, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency late Tuesday for San Bernardino County.
The governor’s order will hasten emergency aid to those affected by the fire and allow residents to replace legal documents damaged in the flames, like birth certificates, free of charge.
Since it broke out about 10:30 a.m. in the Cajon Pass, the Blue Cut fire has spread to more than 6,500 acres and prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents in the county, including the entire community of Wrightwood.
It’s been a busy fire season across California
Firefighters around California have been very busy battling wildfires this year and the season has just begun.
Cajon Pass fire threatens McDonald’s and gas station off Interstate 15
Video from KTLA reporter Steve Kuzj shows flames approaching a McDonald’s restaurant, truck scales and a gas station off Interstate 15.
The video shows firefighters trying to protect the restaurant.
The Cajon Pass fire has burned more than 6,500 acres and numerous structures.
Cajon Pass fire: Evacuation zones, closed roads, shelters
Here is a list of resources, evacuation zones and closed roads from InciWeb:
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS AREAS:
East of I-15, south of Ranchero and west of Summit Valley
The entire community of Wrightwood
North of 138, east of Sheep Creek, south of Phelan Road and west of Caliente
Lone Pine Canyon
Swarthout Canyon
West Cajon Valley
Lytle Creek Canyon
ROAD CLOSURES
Highway 138 has been closed from Interstate 15 to Highway 2
Old Cajon Boulevard north of Devore Cutoff
Lytle Creek @ Glen Helen
Highway 38 to Lone Pine Canyon has been closed.
15 Northbound at I-215
15 Southbound at Ranchero
EVACUATION CENTERS:
Jessie Turner Community Center
15556 Summit Ave.
Fontana
Sultana High School
17311 Sultana St.
Hesperia 92345
ANIMAL EVACUATION SHELTER:
Apple Valley Animal Shelter (small animals)
22131 Powhatan Road
Apple Valley 92308
San Bernardino County Fairgrounds
14800 7th St. Victorville 92395
Devore Animal Shelter (small animals)
19777 Shelter Valley
San Bernardino
(800) 472-5609
Victorville Fair Grounds (large animals)
14800 7th Ave.
Victorville
Six firefighters trapped by fast-moving fire, fire truck damaged by flames
Six firefighters were trapped by the fast-moving Cajon Pass fire while helping residents evacuate. They were able to shelter in place, but two firefighters were hurt.
Here is the statement from the San Bernardino County Fire Department:
Six firefighters became entrapped by wildfire today while defending homes and assisting evacuations in the Swarthout Canyon area west of Cajon Pass. The six firefighters were part of two San Bernardino County Fire (SBCoFD) engine companies assigned to the area northwest of Cajon Blvd. Firefighters were able to shelter in place within a nearby structure, but two firefighters sustained minor injuries. Both firefighters were transported to a local hospital where they were treated and released and are now back on the fire line defending structures. One SBCoFD fire engine sustained moderate fire damage.
Raw video from Blue Cut fire near Hwy 138
Raw video of Blue Cut fire near Hwy 138 near Phenal.
‘We’re gonna stay and fight.’ Other residents in Cajon Pass fire’s path choose to flee
On the corner of Lytle Creek Road and Alder Way, a handful of neighbors sat on a stone fence watching as helicopters swooped low to take water from the small lake of a nearby RV camping club.
Each of them was packed and ready to evacuate if the blaze got too close. But late afternoon Tuesday, they were still watching and waiting.
“It’s kind of like a mild tailgate party,” said Steve Sager, 53.
“As long as they can keep [the fire] on that ridge, we’ll be OK,” he said. “If it comes over that ridge too far, I’m out of here.”
Most residents in his neighborhood, he said, also appeared to be staying put. Though some -- often with children or pets in the back -- could be seen driving away.
A few of those evacuees stopped on their way out to talk with Cheryl Anaya, 67, who lives in a two-story log cabin and had decided to stay in order to protect her home and others in case flying embers got too close.
“We’re gonna stay and fight,” she told one neighbor.
“You got your hose out?” she asked another.
During a fire in north Fontana several years ago, Anaya said, she had stayed up all night to protect another home from flames and was prepared to do the same again.
“Tonight, we’ll be walking all over and making sure everything’s OK,” she said.
But if things got too bad, she said, she too was ready to go.
Clayton fire arson suspect had worked as an inmate firefighter, officials say
A suspected serial arsonist charged with starting the Clayton fire that destroyed more than 175 buildings in Northern California this week had worked as an inmate firefighter while serving a five-year prison term for drug and weapons charges years ago, authorities said.
Damin Pashilk, 40, of Clearlake, Calif., was trained as an inmate firefighter at the California Correctional Facility in Susanville and was assigned to Trinity Camp in Lewiston from April 2007 through July of the same year, Vicky Waters, a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman, said in a statement.
Pashilk was committed to state prison from Lake County in January 2002 and released to parole on July 25, 2007, she said. He was subsequently brought back into custody six times for parole violations, but did not serve again as a firefighter, Waters said.
Dramatic images show homes engulfed in flames from Cajon Pass fire
Here are some dramatic images of homes and buildings being engulfed by flames in the Cajon Pass fire.
It’s unclear how many structures have been destroyed by the fire, which has burned more than 6,500 acres.
All of Wrightwood ordered evacuated; mountain roads jammed as fire bears down
San Bernardino County fire officials have ordered the entire community of Wrightwood evacuated as the Cajon Pass fire moved in that direction.
Officials warned that mountain roads were jammed as residents tried to evacuate.
The fire has burned more than 6,500 acres.
Raw video | Smoke from Blue Cut fire is thick at Mormon Rocks Fire Station off Highway 138
Mormon Rocks Station off hwy 138 after firestorm passed through.
‘That smoke looks pretty bad.’ Residents run for their lives as Cajon fire rages
Sheriff’s deputies went door to door in various neighborhoods in Lytle Creek Canyon, asking residents to evacuate Tuesday afternoon.
Ellen Pomella, 63, and her husband had been told to leave their home in Happy Jack, a neighborhood of about 160 homes. About an hour later, they were parked a few miles down the road at a ranger station, waiting to be sure an elderly neighbor also made it down.
Pomella sat in her Prius, which was packed with pillows, blankets and clothes. A cat rested in its carrier. Her husband was parked in an SUV behind her, with the couples’ three dogs.
They’ve lived in the area for 25 years and have had to evacuate before so they were well prepared and unsurprised by how fast the fire was moving, she said.
“It’s part of living in this canyon,” she said. “It went fast. But it’s very dry.”
Pomella has volunteered to help with fire preparedness in her community and said she and her neighbors have worked to ensure that their properties are cleared of brush and anything else that could make them more flammable.
“People need to be prepared and just know that that’s part of the risk of living in these kinds of areas,” she said. “We’ve got a beautiful community.”
Further up the road at an RV park where deputies were knocking on doors and asking people to leave, Emilio, who gave his first name only, said he had his things packed and ready to go but would wait to see how the fire progressed.
“They’re doing an amazing job,” he said of the deputies and fire fighters in the area. “They’re fighting hard for Lytle Creek right now.”
Not far away Joe Gonzales, who has lived in his Lytle Creek Canyon home for six years now, said deputies had come by a few minutes earlier and old him to leave. He grabbed laptops and important papers and was ready to go, but was waiting first to hear from deputies whether an elderly neighbor would need a ride before evacuating himself.
“I’m a little worried. I don’t want to leave here. We love it in the canyon,” he said. “But that smoke looks pretty bad.”
Video shows residents fleeing approaching flames in Cajon Pass
This video shows residents fleeing the fire zone as flames come close to a gas station and other developments in the Cajon Pass area.
Video shows deserted Interstate 15 with Cajon Pass fire raging
The video shows a deserted Interstate 15 (which has been closed) as the Cajon Pass fires rages on the side of the roadway.
Mapping the Cajon Pass fire zone
The Cajon Pass fire has moved with dramatic speed, burning more than 5,500 acres in a few hours. Here’s a map of the fire zone:
Blue Cut fire burns 5,500 acres; here are areas under evacuation
Here are some of the people affected and evacuation areas in the Cajon Pass, where the Blue Cut fire has now burned 5,500 acres.
- All residents of Lytle Creek
- Areas north of Highway 138, east of Sheep Creek, south of Phelan Road and west of Caliente
- Kimbark Elementary School students moved to Cesar Chavez School in San Bernardino
- A care and reception center has been set up at Sultana High School at 17311 Sultana St. in Hesperia.
Source: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
Raw video from Blue Cut fire near Cajon Pass
Raw video from Blue Cut fire near the Cajon Pass.
Structures burned in Cajon Pass fire
Video footage from several TV stations show that the fire has burned some structures. It’s unclear whether these building in the video below are homes.
Evacuations have been ordered in several communities in the path of the fire.
Fire retardant drop on Blue Cut fire
There are red flag warnings in Northern, Southern California
Suspect in Clayton fire, other blazes faces 17 counts of arson
The Clayton fire, which authorities blamed on arson, broke out late Saturday afternoon off Highway 29 and Clayton Creek Road, then doubled in size Sunday as it reached Main Street in Lower Lake.
Damin Pashilk, a resident of nearby Clearlake, was arrested on 17 counts of arson in connection with the fire and other blazes in the area during the last year, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.
It’s unclear how the fire started, but Pashilk had been under investigation for about a year, Cal Fire Chief Ken Pimlott said.
Pashilk, 40, was being held in the county jail, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Booking records identified Pashilk’s occupation as “construction” and said bail was set at $5.1 million.
Blue Cut fire in Cajon Pass scorches 1,500 acres
A brush fire broke out late Tuesday morning in the Cajon Pass about 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles, scorching about 1,500 acres of land near the 15 Freeway.
The Blue Cut fire was first reported just after 10:30 a.m. near the 15 and jumped to nearly 1,500 acres within two hours, the San Bernardino County Fire Department said.
San Bernardino County firefighters are assisting the San Bernardino National Forest in battling the blaze, and water drops are being made. Some 500 firefighters are on the scene, in addition to 25 engines, two crews and one helicopter.
Southern California is just going to keep getting hotter — a lot hotter,
Think the recent heat in L.A. is miserable? It’s going to become more frequent in the summers to come.
Days of extreme heat are defined as those on which the temperature reaches 95 degrees. In downtown Los Angeles, there was an average of just six extreme heat days yearly in the 1980s and 1990s.
But by the year 2050, there could be 22 days of extreme heat in Los Angeles, and by 2100, there could be 54 such days, a study released by UCLA scientists last year said.
Where are fires burning in California?