Raging Wildfire in San Bernardino, CA, Continues to Spread
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif.
(TNS)
Sep. 9—Fire officials on Monday morning, Sept. 9, said that for the first time they have some containment of the five-day-old Line fire burning in the San Bernardino National Forest near Highland.
But so far, it isn't much.
According to a 7:45 a.m. update, the fire was 3% contained — that is the percentage of the blaze's perimeter officials believe flames will not go beyond, because of natural barriers such as rocks or water bodies or the work of firefighters.
Overnight, the fire remained at 20,553 charred acres.
"Fire activity on the Line fire was moderated in the upper elevations in the overnight hours," officials said. "The fire made short, intense runs in the slopes and the lighter fuels.
"Vegetation remains critically dry," they said in a statement. "Hot and dry weather will continue Monday with an excessive heat warning for the lower elevations of the fire. There will be areas of smoke in the morning that could become more widespread in the afternoon.
Here's what we know about the fire right now:
* Acres burned: 20,553
* Structures Threatened: 36,328
* Containment: 3%
* The fire started Thursday
* The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
* There are about 1,855 people working on the fire.
* Line fire map here
Line fire evacuations
By Sunday night, an estimated 23,200 people were under evacuation orders and another 94,000 were under evacuation warnings, according to San Bernardino County spokesperson David Wert.
Earlier evacuation orders were issued for:
—The area from Calle Del Rio to Highway 38, including Greenspot Road North
—All underdeveloped land east of Highway 330 to Summertrail Place and north of Highland Avenue
—The areas of Running Spring east of Highway 330 and south of Highway 18
—The communities of Running Springs and Arrow Bear Lake
—The area east of Orchard Road to Cloverhill from Highland Avenue north to the foothills
—North of Highland Avenue and East of Palm Avenue to Highway 330
Closures as a result of the Line fire
The following districts have canceled classes and are monitoring conditions moving into the week.
* Redlands Unified School District
* Rim of the World School District
* Yucaipa-Calimesa Unified School District
San Bernardino Unified City School District will remain open Monday, with the exception of Bonnie Oehl Elementary School, which is in the evacuation zone for the fire, the district said on its website.
The fire prompted the closure of Highway 330 between Highland and Running Springs on Saturday evening. The fire jumped to the west side of the 330 about 5 miles above the Highland and San Bernardino area.
On Sunday, Cal Fire listed the following road closures:
* Highway 18 was closed from Kuffel Canyon to the Big Bear Dam. If you are in Running Springs, you are able to get out but you will not be allowed back in.
* Highway 330 remained closed from Highland to Highway 18 in Running Springs.
* Highway 18 was closed going northbound (inbound) from Kuffel Canyon to Running Springs. Only southbound (outbound) traffic is allowed.
* Highway 18 was closed from Running Springs to Highway 38 (Big Bear Dam). Garnet Street was closed at Highway 38 in Mentone.
* Highway 38 Eastbound was closed at Bryant Street. An additional closure will be set up at Angelus Oaks. Residents of Mountain Home Village and Forest Falls will be evacuated down bound on Highway 38 towards Mentone. Residents of Angelus Oaks were to be evacuated up bound towards Big Bear.
Where the fire is burning and the local terrain
The fire is burning in the foothills and mountain region east of San Bernardino near Highland and west of Big Bear, near Arrowhead and Running Springs. The fire is between both major rounds into mountain communities highways 330 and 38.
The terrain has been described by firefighters as steep and "treacherous" with no access and massive amounts of fuel to burn.
"The terrain is a real problem in some of the those areas," Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart said Sunday afternoon. "Some of those areas, it's almost impossible to do a whole lot of preparation work because you couldn't stand there if you wanted to, much less get in there."
How does the heat wave and weather impact the fire?
Southern California is at the end of an intense, long heat wave that has seen temperatures soar into triple digits often above 110 degrees. On Monday, the forecast expects temperatures in the area of the fire to reach a high of 106 with calm winds. An excessive heat warning was issued for much of the area. The South Coast AQMD also issued an air quality alert due to the wildfire smoke.
There is also a chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms, officials said.
Temperatures are expected to ease on Tuesday and into the week as the heat wave subdues.
The fire was so intense on Saturday that it created its own storm clouds. The National Weather Service recorded thousands of lightning strikes, including over 280 ground strikes.
Thunderstorms and lightning strikes had created "havoc" for firefighters, according to Carhart.
"They'll get wind shifts that just happen in a matter of moments," he said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Originally Published: September 9, 2024 at 9:26 a.m.
___
(c)2024 San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif.
Visit San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif. at https://www.sgvtribune.com/
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
