Piñon Hills residents fearful as destructive Bridge Fire approaches their homes

PIÑON HILLS, Calif. (KABC) -- The Bridge Fire has already destroyed homes in Wrightwood and Mount Baldy - and now residents of nearby Piñon Hills are terrified it's just a matter of time before their own homes are reduced to ash.

The Bridge Fire started Sunday in the San Gabriel Canyon area and exploded in size within a matter of days, scorching some 49,000 acres by Wednesday afternoon. It's destroyed about 40 structures, mostly homes, in Mount Baldy and Wrightwood. It continues to threaten thousands more as firefighters battle to steer the flames away from neighborhoods.

Piñon Hills is about six miles from Wrightwood and the flames approached dangerously close Tuesday night. Residents had to scramble to evacuate with only the most essential of possessions.

Some returned Wednesday but the ash and smoke remained thick in the air.

A local resident named Rochelle, who was still recovering from brain surgery, struggled to find the words as she was overcome with emotion describing her fears about her home and pets.

"I have a shop that I'm staying in with my motor home, with my animals ready to go. It's just, it's ..."

"She's gone through so much with her brain surgery," said her friend Heidi.

"Kudos to the fire department," Rochelle added. "I pray everybody's gonna be safe."

"It's been a lot," said Heidi. "It's OK."

The air was so thick with smoke and ash that one man lost his horse as he was trying to evacuate.

Vikki Montegna with Vikki's Pet Services volunteered to come in and help remove the horse's body. She's also helping other residents with animal evacuations and transport.

To her, it's about helping her own community.

"I'm glad I do it because I feel like I help them," Montegna said. "It's very heartfelt."

"I've raised my children in these areas," she added. "So to watch these places burn.... I just lost my other half, which was a fire captain in Wrightwood, to cancer two years ago. So this is very heartfelt for me."

Cheyenne Price with Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue said her group had evacuated more than 60 horses by Wednesday afternoon.

"A lot of the times with this community, many people don't have the transportation for their horses or any livestock at that point, and do need our help," Price said. "Being that we're a local horse rescue, our community has supported us over the last 25 years and this is our way to give back to them."