Flames from a wildfire rise up a ridge in Hesperia, Calif., Tuesday.
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“Because of the aggressive attack by our firefighters, we were able to protect homes”, said Bob Poole, U.S. Forest Service spokesman.
At least 175 homes have been evacuated as a wildfire burns out of control in the tinder-dry San Bernardino Mountains west of the Coachella Valley.
SMOKE ADVISORIES: The SCAQMD and MDAQMD have issued smoke advisories for the Mojave Desert Area.
Hundreds of firefighters, aided by 16 aircraft, have been battling flames that spread across almost 10 square miles on the northern side of the rugged mountain range east of Los Angeles.
Helicopters sucked loads of water from nearby Silverwood Lake to douse flames leaping across slopes.
California authorities submitted a request Monday for a Fire Management Assistance Grant declaration for the Pilot Fire, according to a statement from the federal agency.
TRAIL CLOSURES: Pacific Crest Trail is closed from the Deep Creek Hot Springs (3W02) to Lake Silverwood. Heavy smoke looms up over Lake Gregory and mountaintop homes in Crestline, Calif., as a wildfire threatens the San Bernardino Mountains village about 55 miles east of Los Angeles Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. – Golf Course Road east to North Bay Road – everything north of Peninsula to Highway 173.
– Highway 173 north and south from Highway 138 to Arrowhead Lake Road; Arrowhead Lake Road to Hesperia Lakes Road. The number of people who left was not known.
While fire season begins June 1, it peaks in October, when the warm Santa Ana winds start blowing.
Classes in the Apple Valley Unified School District would remain closed according to authorities.
As of Monday morning, 400 firefighters were assigned to the incident, including 36 engines, 8 crews, 5 bulldozers, 8 helicopters, 8 air tankers- including the “very large air tanker”, the USFS reports.
Schools in the Apple Valley Unified School District and Hesperia Unified School District were closed Tuesday due to poor air quality caused by the Pilot Fire.
California’s biggest wildfire expanded overnight to more than 104 square miles north of scenic Big Sur.
The Pilot Fire spread to more than 7,000 acres on Tuesday as firefighters continued to battle flames burning through the San Bernardino National Forest’s rough terrain.
A voluntary evacuation order was put in place for the Deer Lodge Park area, as well as for Aleutian Dr., Klondike Dr., Evergreen Dr. & Yukon Dr.
Highway 173 is closed between State Route 138 and Arrowhead Lake Road.
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More than 5,000 firefighters are on the lines of the fire, which was ignited by an illegal campfire and has destroyed 57 homes and damaged three others.
