Wrightwood, Mount Baldy homes destroyed as Bridge Fire becomes largest active wildfire in the state
Officials say the fire destroyed 20 homes in the Mount Baldy area and another 13 in Wrightwood.
WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- The Bridge Fire that erupted in the Angeles National Forest has destroyed more than 30 homes and scorched more than 50,000 acres, making it the largest active wildfire in California, officials said Wednesday.
The blaze, which started in the San Gabriel Canyon above Glendora Sunday afternoon, exploded Tuesday night and forced residents in the Wrightwood and Mount Baldy areas to flee their homes. The fire remains 0% contained.
As of Wednesday evening, Cal Fire reported that the blaze had burned 50,258 acres, fueled by thick brush that carried the flames into San Bernardino County community of Wrightwood and into the Mountain High Ski Resort.
Although the flames advanced on Mountain High Ski Resort, officials at the popular destination posted on social media Wednesday that "all the main lifts and buildings survived with little to no damage."
During a press conference, officials said the fire destroyed 20 homes in the Mount Baldy area and another 13 in the Wrightwood area. Six cabins were also destroyed.
Some 2,500 structures are still threatened by the flames as sweeping evacuation orders and warnings remain in place.
No significant injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of the Bridge Fire. Three people trapped in a remote area five miles west of Mount Baldy, including an off-duty sergeant with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, were airlifted to safety.
Schools in the Snowline Joint Unified School District will remain closed through Friday. Officials will re-evaluate when to reopen the schools and an announcement will be made by Sunday.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Although a intense heat wave that exacerbated fire conditions across Southern California has subsided, officials said they were still monitoring the movement of the flames.
As for the residents who evacuated overnight, one evacuee told Eyewitness News he has never seen anything like it.
"I've never seen this before, ever. There's a possibility we might lose everything there," said John Haskell of Wrightwood. "But our family is safe. Hopefully everyone gets out and no one gets hurt.... I've been through a lot of them. Nothing like this."
RELATED: Piñon Hills residents fearful as destructive Bridge Fire approaches their homes
Evacuation orders for Bridge Fire
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department issued a mandatory evacuation order for the East Fork communities of Camp Williams and River Community on Sunday evening. On Monday, an evacuation order was issued for all residents north of San Antonio Dam up to the Mount Baldy Resort.
As of Wednesday afternoon, evacuation orders were in effect for:
- Pinon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18 and Beekley Road west to L.A. County
- Lone Pine Canyon from the community of Wrightwood to Hwy. 138/Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest
- Entire community of Wrightwood
- East Fork communities of Camp Williams Resort (café, mobile home park, campground) and River Community (near the resort)
- The area from Highway 138 south to Lone Pine Canyon and Highway 2 east to Line Pine Canyon Road
Evacuation warnings were issued Tuesday night for northern Claremont as a precaution, San Antonio Heights and Upland from the foothills south to the I-210, and Pinon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 138 and Lebec Road west to L.A. County.
An additional warning was issued Wednesday afternoon for the Phelan area from Highway 138 east to Baldy Mesa Road and Phelan Road south to Sayle Road.
Where are evacuation centers located for the Bridge Fire?
An evacuation center was established at the Jesse Turner Center in Fontana and the Hacienda Heights Community Center. Below is the full list.
- San Bernardino County Fairgrounds: 14800 Seventh Street, Victorville, CA 92392
- Jessie Turner Health and Fitness Community Center: 15556 Summit Ave, Fontana, CA 92336. Call (909) 854-5100 (You can bring small animals in the company of owners)
- Pomona Fairplex: 601 W McKinley Avenue Pomona, CA 91768 (Enter Gate 3, corner of McKinley and White)
What about shelters for animals?
- Devore Animal Shelter (pets/livestock): 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino, CA 92407. Call (909) 386-9820, or after hours: (800) 472-5609.
- Palmdale Animal Care Center (small animals): 38550 Sierra Hwy, Palmdale, CA 93550
- Lancaster Animal Care Center (small animals): 5210 W. Avenue I, Lancaster, CA 93536
- Antelope Valley Fairgrounds (large animals): 2551 W. Avenue H, Lancaster, CA 93536. Call 562-706-8581 prior to arrival.
What roads are closed?
East Fork Road at Highway 39 was closed along with Glendora Mountain and Glendora Ridge roads. The California Highway Patrol also closed Highway 39 at the mouth of the canyon due to vehicle congestion. Mount Baldy Road was also closed at Shinn Road.
"The safety of our community members is our number one priority, and we will continue to assist residents in any way that we can. We encourage all residents in the affected areas who have been given an order to evacuate to please listen to the orders. If we're asking you to evacuate, there is no property worth risking your life for," L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
Air quality in the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire, due to the Bridge Fire and the nearby Line Fire, was labeled as "unhealthy." Residents were urged to stay indoors or wear a mask when outdoors.
High winds and low humidity are aiding the spread of the fire, Cal Fire said. Firefighters are also hoping the upcoming cooler weather will slow the fire enough for them to gain the upper hand.
Forest visitors were being evacuated from the area, the Angeles National Forest announced on social media.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.
