Blue Cut Fire Tears Through Cajon Pass Turning 15,000 Acres of Land into Ashes; Road Closures, Evacuations, State of Emergency Declared
Blue Cut Fire has caused thousands to flee from their homes but some are still hesitant. County officials brace residents for the worst.
A brush fire swiftly, which turned into a roaring blaze, has moved through Cajon Pass late Tuesday morning. The fast-moving blaze has now affected around 15,000 acres of land and has caused thousands of people to evacuate from their homes. Gov. Jerry Brown has placed San Bernardino County under a state of emergency.
Known as the "Blue Cut Fire", the blaze strengthened as it ate through large amounts of very dry brush along the hills of the county. The Blue Cut Fire broke out around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday along the 15 Freeway. In just a couple of hours, it has managed to ravaged about 1,500 acres of land. By 4:30 p.m., the fire has affected a portion of the freeway and has grown to more than 9,000 acres.
San Bernardino County Fire Department Public Information Officer Tracey Martinez also said that the fire has forced more than 80,000 residents out of their homes and businesses. Burning homes could be seen from the 138 Freeway and massive clouds of smoke were likewise visible from the sky, while the ground was still bright orange from the fire.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The number of burned homes and structures remain unaccounted for, but exact total is expected to be released soon.
Evacuations and shelters
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued to residents along Baldy Mesa, Wrightwood, Lytle Creek, Old Cajon Road, West Cajon Valley, Lone Pine Canyon, and Swarthout Canyon. San Bernardino County sheriff officials moved from house to house to urge residents to evacuate. Some residents were hesitant, but were soon convinced when they were told that the fire is headed their way.
Some residents opted to adopt a wait-and-see attitude as they watched aerial teams comprised of helicopters dump water over the fire from a lake in the Lytle Creek Road.
Shelters were set up by the Red Cross at the Jessie Turner Community Center in Fontana. Another evacuation center was also put up at the Sultana High School in Hesperia.
Also, the Devore Animal Shelter has started to accept and house big and small pets temporarily.
Fire fighters in danger
Six firefighters from the county found themselves trapped in walls of flames as they tried to put out the blaze affecting homes in Swarthout Canyon. The firefighters were able to safely extinguish the fire in a structure nearby. Two of the six suffered minor injuries and were treated after they were able to get out.
Around 700 fire fighters, 57 fire engines, 10 air tankers and fire crew stayed on the scene to snuff out the blaze. Additional 750 firefighters were also ordered to assist, according to the San Bernardino National Forest officials.
Authorities also reported that it is uncertain if the fire was moving towards more homes or the desert because of the shifting winds.
Roads closed
Affected roads have been shut down. 15 Freeway along Oak Hill Road to Kenwood Avenue remains closed. California 138 has been shut down from California 2 to 15. The 15 is a major road taken by motorists to Las Vegas from the southern California area.
Blue Cut Fire possibly caused by five-year drought
The Blue Cut Fire is the latest in numerous wildfires to affect California. Authorities say that this may have resulted from the state's five-year drought. According to weather reports, dry conditions with 100-degree temperatures will prevail over the area over the next days.
Fire season in California this year has been very destructive. There have been eight people killed and thousands of people affected by fires from different areas of the state. Fire officials warned residents that the worst is yet to come.
