In the midst of the chaos, fire officials said aircraft sent to douse the flames were briefly delayed after five drones were spotted above the blaze.
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HESPERIA, Calif. – A wildfire has swept across a Southern California freeway between Las Vegas and Los Angeles and burned several vehicles.
Firefighters turned their attention to protecting some 700 homes in the Baldy Mesa area, where about 2,800 people remained evacuated and almost three dozen spent the night at a temporary shelter.
He said in most cases, the safest place to be when a brush fire nears a freeway is inside a vehicle, but each case is different and sometimes abandoning a vehicle and seeking safety is the only choice.
Once again, fire aircraft was grounded temporarily due to drones being spotted in the area.
Initially, firefighting efforts from the air were hampered by drones that caused the San Bernardino Fire Department to ground its helicopters, according to their Twitter account.
But then the smoke – and the flames – started to get closer.
From about a mile from where a auto caught fire, he could see flames and black smoke as he drove south on the northbound freeway to reach an access road that could exit the area, as directed by firefighters.
Drivers had to scramble to safety as a major wildfire jumped a highway in California and consumed 20 cars Friday.
Wildfires are common in California, but have been exacerbated by the four-year drought gripping the state.
The initial firefight was hampered by five drones that were being flown in the area when flames broke out, said Lee Beyer, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman. The wildfire continued to burn uncontrollably Saturday, scorching 3,500 acres with only 5% containment in San Bernardino County, officials said.
Overnight, because of a separate fire in Angeles National Forest, crews evacuated hundreds of people from campsites, including children.
Several burnt-out cars sat on the highway.
Highway patrolmen who arrived on site have reportedly said that this was the fastest spreading fire they have ever seen, leaving people no choice but to flee for their lives.
“That would be nice if we could get some downpour”, said Deputy Jason Ames of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Palmdale Station.
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According to Battalion Chief Marc Peebles of the San Bernadino Fire Department, the delay “definitely contributed” to the fire hopping the freeway.
