Fire crews continue battle against Apple Fire while Congressman Raul Ruiz pledges federal support

Fire crews are working in shifts as they battle the "Apple Fire" burning in the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest.

Shifts ranging anywhere from 12 hours up to 16 hours, and their efforts are paying off.

The fire is 30 percent contained, and covers nearly 28,000 acres.

“Everybody is out there working toward the goal trying to button up the areas where these communities are most impacted," said Cal Fire Public Information Officer, Captain Thomas Shoots.

Despite progress, threats to homes and cabins remain.

Shoots says some of those crews are setting up “defensive positions” in Oak Glenn and Forest Falls, where the fire is inching closer to residential areas.

“There are a lot of residents up there, so we need to make sure everything is buttoned up on that side," said Shoots.

Shoots says the brush in some areas where the fire is burning is “dryer than kiln dried lumber at a lumber store”.

He also talked about the fire threat in the days ahead.

Captain shoots says the threat level for another major fire incident in our region the rest of this month is average.

But for September, he says it’s above average.

That’s simply because brush will become dryer as days go by.

Congressman Raul Ruiz met with county incident commanders at the base camp in Beaumont.

He received updates on efforts to stop the blaze, while pledging additional federal funds if necessary to help pay for firefighting efforts, which one commander says could reach upwards of $40 million.

The congressman also expressed concerns about protecting crews from coronavirus.

“We don’t want a situation where there are no casualties from the fire but then there are delayed casualties from Covid-19," said Ruiz.