The Blue Cut fire, named after a narrow gorge where it ignited about 75 miles (120 km) northeast of Los Angeles on Tuesday in an area called the Cajon Pass, has burned more than 37,000 acres (15,000 hectares) and destroyed 105 homes and 213 outbuildings, said fire information officer Mike Lopez.
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LOWER LAKE, Calif. (AP) – A wildfire destroyed at least 10 homes and forced some 4,000 of people to flee their homes as flames jumped a road and moved into a Northern California town located miles away from a devastating wildfire almost a year ago.
A firefighting helicopter makes water drops to keep errant fires from approaching the train tracks near the 15 Freeway at Keenbrook in San Bernardino County.
Though a lot of progress was made Thursday with slowing the fire’s spread, officials say 34,500 structures are still threatened in the communities of Wrightwood, Oak Hills, Phelan, Lytle Creek, Baldy Mesa, West Cajon Valley, South Hesperia, and Summit Valley.
But with the fire 68 percent contained, many residents were allowed to return home, Lopez said. As firefighters advanced on the blaze, evacuation orders were gradually lifted. No deaths have been reported in the latest fire, but crews assessing property damage were using cadaver dogs during searches.
The fire that broke out Tuesday in the Cajon Pass near Interstate 15 east of Los Angeles has now burned 56 square miles.
A bit of improvement is expected Friday, with lighter winds and some increase in relative humidity – moisture that helps suppress fire activity.
“I don’t think any of us thought we’d be back where we are tonight”, he said.
Officials said firefighters were able to carve containment lines around 26% of the blaze as of Friday morning, that up from 4% Thursday in dry, hot and windy weather conditions and treacherous terrain. Officials said he is also suspected in several other fires over the past year in Lake County.
“This is a very quickly growing wildfire”, a San Bernardino National Forest statement said, urging residents to follow evacuation instructions.
California is literally ablaze, with wildfires consuming thousands of acres in the northern and southern parts of the state.
The cause of the fire has been deemed arson.
The Angeles forest fire – dubbed “Blue Cut” – has devoured 31,000 acres (12,545 hectares), an area more than twice the size of Bermuda, and is just four percent contained. “I know for the majority of the guys here, the firefighters, the fire service, it’s just a job that we do and we’ll fight this fire to the end”, said Leon.
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Authorities began lifting some evacuation orders Wednesday but it’s unclear when all areas will be cleared for people to return. “The smoke was so thick, and as soon as the smoke cleared, we could see that everything was gone”, said Crystal Armstrong, who lost her home.
