Topline:
The Bridge Fire, which ignited on Sunday afternoon in the Angeles National Forest, has burned more than 47,900 acres and destroyed more than 30 homes in the communities of Mount Baldy and Wrightwood, according to fire authorities.
The weather: Temperatures have dropped, but gusty, dry conditions continue to drive the fire, which is threatening communities including Wrightwood and Piñon Hills.
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The Bridge Fire, which ignited on Sunday afternoon in the Angeles National Forest, has burned more than 49,000 acres and destroyed more than 30 homes in the communities of Mount Baldy and Wrightwood, according to fire authorities.
Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled Wednesday to Southern California where he declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, both of which are affected by the fire. He also declared a state of emergency in Orange County where the Airport Fire is burning. The declarations allow state and federal funds to be diverted to the firefighting response and cleanup.
The Bridge Fire is fueled by long unburned, dense vegetation, as dry and gusty conditions make its behavior unpredictable, and in some cases, unstoppable, according to fire officials. A red flag warning is in place through Thursday.
Evacuations, initially ordered for Camp Williams Resort in Azusa and nearby River Community, have expanded to include Wrightwood, just under 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles and east of the area where the Line Fire — which has charred more than 34,600 acres — is burning.
The full scope of the damage is unclear.
"I want to assure you that we are fully committed to bringing this fire under control," said Jason Schillinger, incident commander with the California interagency management team, during Wednesday morning news conference.
Videos from remote cameras appeared to show the fire burning near the popular Mountain High Ski Resort in Wrightwood on Tuesday, but resort operators reported that the main lifts and structures had suffered "little to no damage."
Hand crews and bulldozers have been working to establish fire lines, and hotshot firefighters — crews that specialize in fighting the hottest areas of a wildfire — from New Mexico and Texas dropped in to try to limit the spread of the fire to the south. Their efforts were successful.
But low humidity and gusty conditions persist, creating ideal conditions for fire spread.
Evacuation orders have been issued for the following areas:
Evacuation centers have been established at the following locations:
For people
For animals: