Blue Cut fire is 100% contained, but over 100 homes lost
Tuesday, 8:21 a.m. Update: The Blue Cut fire is 100% contained
Monday 6:30 a.m. Update: The Blue Cut Fire is now 89% contained.
Sunday 8:00 p.m. Update:Fire officials say the blaze is now 85 percent contained.
Sunday 5:15 p.m. Update: Officials say the evacuation orders for Wrightwood, Swarthout Canyon, Lone Pine Canyon, West Cajon Valley and Lytle Creek have all been lifted. Residents only will be allowed past the road closures. Some residents returning to their homes may find that they are without electricity.
Officials with Southern California Edison say they are working diligently to restore utilities.
Here’s a list of traffic advisories to follow:
Hwy 138 is open to residents only from Hwy 2 to Stone Basin Road. Hwy 138 at Stone Basin Road to Interstate 15 is closed to allow emergency equipment in the area to replace power poles affected by the fire. Lone Pine Canyon Road at Swarthout Canyon Road to Hwy 138 is closed. US Forest Road 3N31 at Lone Pine Canyon Road is closed. The dirt road portion of Lytle Creek Road is closed from the gun range into the forest.
Sunday 3:30 p.m. Update:Fire officials say the mandatory evacuation orders for Lytle Creek will be reduced to voluntary. Residents only will be allowed past the road closure at Sierra Way/Lytle Creek Road and Glen Helen Parkway by providing verification of residency to personnel assigned at the road closure.
Sunday 6:30 a.m. Update: Fire officials say the Blue Cut Fire is now 83 percent contained and has burned 37,020 acres.
Firefighters continue to extinguish hot spots within fire lines. The San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control asks pet owners to check local shelters for their lost pets.
Saturday 8:30 p.m. Update:Fire officials say the blaze is now 73 percent contained, and has burned 37,020 acres.
Saturday 2:30 p.m. Update:Fire officials say the mandatory evacuation orders for the community of Wrightwood will be reduced to voluntary. Residnts only will be allowed past the road closure at Highway 138 and Highway 2 by providing verification of residency to personnel assigned at the road closure.
The Blue Cut fire remains under investigation. The Unified Incident Commanders have determined the public’s assistance is need.
Anyone who many have been in or around the area of southbound Interstate 15 between Cleghorn and Kenwood Roads or along Old Cajon Boulevard through the same section on Tuesday, August 16th, between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and believe they may have seen something suspicious is asked to share that information.
If you believe you have information, photos, or video of this area in this time frame, please call 1-800-78CRIME.
Saturday 8:00 a.m. Update: Fire officals say the blaze has scorched more than 37,000 acres and is now 68 percent contained.
Friday 1:00 p.m. Update: The mandatory evacuation orders for residents west of Baldy Mesa Road to Wilson Ranch Road south of Phelan Road to Mission Street affected by the Blue Cut Fire have been lifted. Baldy Mesa Road south of Phelan Road and Eastbound Hwy138 from I-15 to Summit Valley is also now open.
Friday 10:30 a.m. Update: At a news conference in Victorville this morning, fire officials announce that 96 homes have been destroyed by Blue Cut Fire. There are also 213 outbuildings also reportedly destroyed by the fire.
Friday 8:07 a.m. Update: Fire officials say the blaze has scorched more than 37,000 acres, and is 40 percent contained.
Additional information from fire officials:
“Firefighters continue to make progress in containing the fire and reduce the risk to the public and surrounding communities. The fire continues to be most active in the Gobbler’s Peak portion south of Wrightwood and firefighters will continue to work diligently both on the ground and in the air to gain additional containment. A Red Flag Warning remains in effect for today due to the low humidity and predicted wind.”
MANDATORY EVACUATION AREAS:
The entire community of Wrightwood
Wrightwood from San Bernardino County Line to Jackson Lake
West of Baldy Mesa Rd., south of Phelan Rd. and east of Green Road, including the Desert Front Rd. area.
Lone Pine Canyon
Swarthout Canyon
West Cajon Valley
Lytle Creek Canyon
Thursday 6:30 p.m. Update: Some good news from the Blue Cut Fire lines. The fire is now at 35,969 acres and 22 percent contained, that is up from the 5 percent containment earlier today.
There is 1,584 total personnel fighting the blaze from the ground and air. The cause is still under investigation.
According to the latest fire report, the fire will continue to move to the north, northwest and northeast towards Wrightwood, Victor Valley,Phelan, Baldy Mesa and South Hesperia. As the fire crosses the ridge to the west, it will back towards the community of Lytle Creek. Approximately 34,500 structures remain threatened in the communities of Wrightwood, Oak Hills, Phelan, Lytle Creek, Baldy Mesa, West Cajon Valley, South Hesperia, and Summit Valley.
Structures are known to have been damaged or destroyed but cannot currently be assessed due to the extreme fire behavior and growth.
A news conference is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Friday for an update on the progress made by firefighters and the number of homes lost in the blaze.
Thursday 1:30 p.m. Update: The mandatory evacuation orders and advisories for residents in the areas east of I-15 to Santa Fe/Summit Valley Road, south of Ranchero Road to Highway 138, affected by the Blue Cut Fire have been lifted. Santa Fe/Summit Valley Road and Arrowhead Lake Road/Hwy173 will be opened. Hwy 138 will continue to be closed at I-15 East to Summit Valley Road. We appreciate all the people who evacuated in this area. The Blue Cut Fire is burning very aggressively and at one time posed a real danger to residents living in these areas. We ask that residents returning to the evacuation zone exercise caution. Firefighters, engines, and heavy equipment continue to operate in the area. The San Bernardino County Sheriff will continue enhanced patrols t! hrough these areas with additional units. The remaining mandatory evacuations will be lifted as soon as the danger to residents has been reduced.
Thurs 11am Update: The California Department of Transportation and the California Highway Patrol just reopened Southbound Interstate 15 through the Cajon Pass this morning at 10:45 a.m. The #1 lane will remain closed from Oak Hill Road to Kenwood Avenue for Caltrans crews. All ramps will remain closed at Kenwood Avenue, Cleghorn Road, SR 138 and Oak Hill Road. Caltrans and CHP reopened Northbound I-15 late Wednesday evening. Caltrans is working in cooperation with the Blue Cut Fire Unified Incident Command in the Cajon Pass.
Thurs 7:00am update: The Blue Cut Fire is now at 31,600 acres; 4 percent containment. Northbound I-15 is open through the Cajon Pass, but southbound freeway lanes remain closed until further notice due to guardrail damage. 1,309 personnel are currently on the fire scene providing structure defense and establishing containment lines as opportunities allow.
Wed 10:40pm update: Cal Trans has re-opened Northbound I-15 through the Cajon Pass. Off-ramps will remain closed in the fire area. Southbound I-15 remains closed until further notice. Cal Trans will be doing guardrail and other repairs because of fire damage.
Wed 6:30pm update: San Bernardino National Forestry has downgraded the acreage do to more accurate mapping. The Blue Cut Fire is now at 25,626 acres; 4 percent contained and there are 1,584 personnel on scene.
Wed. 3:00pm update: Riverside County/Cal Fire crews are aiding to fight the Blue Cut Fire. They have 9 engines, 2 battalion chiefs, 27 crew members assigned to assist. Four of the engine companies are from the Coachella Valley. They are also assisting with overhead personnel for logistics.
Wed. 10am update: The The fire is currently 30,000 acres with 1309 personnel on scene. 152 engines, 18 crews, 8 air tankers, 2 Very Large Air Tankers (VLATS), and 8 Helicopters, including night flying helicopters. An estimated 34,500 homes and 82,640 people are being affected by the evacuation warnings. Additional firefighters and equipment have been ordered and will be responding directly to the fire. A National Type 1 Incident Management Team has been requested. Forest Service is in Unified Command with CAL FIRE, San Bernardino County Fire, San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
10:40 p.m. Update: Night flying helicopters are being used to help put out the fire, which has grown to 18,000 acres. No word on the number of homes or structures lost. Cal Trans has also issued new road closure and detour information, which can be found here.
9:40 p.m. Update: Eight helicopters have been brought in to help contain the fire, which has grown to over 15,000 acres. The Forest Service is in Unified Command with CAL FIRE, San Bernardino County Fire, San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, and the California Highway Patrol and a National Type 1 Incident Management Team has been requested.
9:15 p.m. Update: Additional resources have been ordered and will be responding to the Bluecut Fire. An estimated 34,500 homes are in areas under evacuation warnings. Two firefighters who suffered minor injuries have been treated and have returned to the fire.
6:45 p.m. Update: The fire is currently 9,000 plus acres with 700 personnel on scene. 57 engines, 8 crews, 8 air tankers, 2 Very Large Air Tankers). Additional firefighters and equipment on order. A fire official says more than 82,000 people have been told to evacuate from mountain communities.
(original story)
A fast-moving brush fire has ignited in Devore in San Bernardino County. The fire sparked at 10:36 a.m. in the Cajon Pass near Kenwood Avenue, west of I-15.
Governor Jerry Brown declared a state-of-emergency for San Bernardino County because of the expanding wildfire.
Six San Bernardino County firefighters became entrapped while defending homes and helping with evacuations in the Swarthout Canyon area west of the Cajon Pass.
Officials said the firefighters were able to shelter in place within a nearby structure, but two firefighters sustained minor injuries. Both of the firefighters were taken to a local hospital where they were treated and released. They are now back once again defending structures.
Authorities said one San Bernardino County fire engine sustained moderate fire damage as well.
Check out up-close photos at scene of Blue Cut Fire
Firefighters are attacking the Blue Cut Fire which has already grown beyond 6,500 acres. High temperatures and heavy fuel caused the fire to quickly spread from just five acres Tuesday morning.
Officials said there is a threat to public safety, rail traffic and structures in the Cajon Pass, Lytle Creek, Wrightwood and surrounding areas. Two firefighters have sustained minor injuries.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there was an unknown number of structures damaged and destroyed.
Firefighters are dealing with 10 mph winds which has caused small spot fires to spark around the initial blaze. Some structures have already been damaged by the fire.
Mandatory Evacuations:
The entire community of Wrightwood
Wrightwood from San Bernardino County Line to Jackson Lake
West of I-15, and West of Hwy 395 and west of Summit Valley
South of Bear Valley Rd. and East of Caughlin Road.
East of Sheep Creek, south of Phelan Rd. and west of Green Road, including the Desert Front Rd. area.
Lone Pine Canyon
Swarthout Canyon
West Cajon Valley
Lytle Creek Canyon
Road Closures:
South Bound 395 closed at Joshua
Highway 138 has been closed from Interstate 15 to Highway 2
State Route 2 closed from LA County Line to the 138
Hwy 138 closed between County Line to Highway173.
Old Cajon Blvd north of Devore Cutoff
Lytle Creek @ Glen Helen
Beekley Road from Phelan Road to the138
Hwy 38 to Lone Pine Canyon has been closed.
15 Northbound at I-215
15 Southbound at Ranchero
Evacuation Center:
Jessie Turner Community Center – 15556 Summit Avenue, Fontana
Sultana High School- 17311 Sultana St., Hesperia
Animal Evacuation Center:
Devore Animal Shelter (small animals) – 19777 Shelter Valley, San Bernardino (800-472-5609);
Victorville Fair Grounds (large animals) – 14800 7th Avenue, Victorville
A total of 1,309 fire personnel are on scene with 152 engines, 18 crews, 8 air tankers, 2 very large air tankers (VLATS), and 8 Helicopters, including night flying helicopters. Additional firefighters and equipment have been ordered to the area.
KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 will continue to provide updates.
