Tractor-Trailer Blaze Ignites 10-Acre CA Brush Fire

July 27, 2020

Crews from the San Bernardino County Fire Department and other agencies battled a blaze for hours that started when a truck caught fire in the Cajon Pass and spread to a drainage ditch.

By Richard K. De Atley

Source San Bernardino County Sun, Calif.

Flames from a tractor-trailer crash along the 15 Freeway in the Cajon Pass sparked a 10-acre brush fire after spreading to a drainage ditch Sunday.

A semi-truck fire on the 15 Freeway in the Cajon Pass north of Kenwood Avenue spread into a drainage ditch, and firefighters fought an approximately 10-acre blaze that closed two northbound lanes for about four hours Sunday, authorities said.

One of the lanes, on the freeway’s right side, re-opened for traffic just before 2 p.m., Caltrans said.

The fire was reported just before 10 a.m. and spread shortly after that. The San Bernardino National Forest said just after noon the fire’s forward progress had stopped, but it was not yet contained.

Caltrans had reported around 10:30 a.m. that outer lanes of the freeway on the right side were blocked due to the fire.

The big rig was hauling about 72,000 pounds of food, according to the California Highway Patrol log of the incident, which described the cargo as a non-hazardous load.

There were no reports of injuries.

The CHP said the fire spread into a drainage ditch. The U.S. Forest Service said it was responding to the fire along with San Bernardino County Fire and CAL FIRE/San Bernardino Unit.

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