Bridge Fire explodes to 47K acres; more than 30 homes destroyed

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.

The basics

• Acreage: 49,075 acres as of Wednesday evening
• Containment: 0%
• Structures destroyed: 20 in Mount Baldy, 13 in Wrightwood
• Cause: Under investigation
• Deaths: None
• Injuries: None reported
• Personnel working on fire: More than 400 from multiple agencies, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, in addition to forest service resources.
• Fire history: Much of the area hasn't burned since the early 2000s, meaning there's roughly a quarter century of fuel buildup.

Where things stand

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."

Fighting the fire

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.

Evacuations

Evacuation orders have been issued for the following areas:

• Entire community of Wrightwood.
• San Antonio Heights and Upland from the foothills south to the 210.
• Piñion Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 138 and Lebec Road west to Los Angeles County.
• Piñion Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18 and Beekley Road west to the Los Angeles County line.
• Lone Pine Canyon from the community of Wrightwood to Highway 138/ Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest.
• East Fork communities of Camp Williams Resort (café, mobile home park, campground) and River Community (near the resort). 
• Mount Baldy Road, all residents north of the San Antonio Dam up to the Mount Baldy Resort.

Evacuation centers

Evacuation centers have been established at the following locations:

For people

• San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, 14800 Seventh St. in Victorville. Call (800) 733-2767
  
• Jessie Turner Health and Fitness Community Center, 15556 Summit Ave. in Fontana. Call (909) 854-5100
  
• Pomona Fairplex, 601 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona (Enter Gate 3, corner of McKinley and White).
  

For animals:

• Devore Animal Shelter, 19777 Shelter Way in San Bernardino. Call (909) 386- 9820, or after hours: (800) 472-5609
• Palmdale Animal Care Center (Small Animals), 38550 Sierra Hwy in Palmdale.
• Lancaster Animal Care Center (Small Animals), 5210 W Ave. I in Lancaster.
• Antelope Valley Fairgrounds (Large Animals), 2551 W Avenue H in Lancaster. Call (562) 706-8581 prior to arrival.

Road closures

• State Route 138 closed from Lone Pine Canyon Road to Beekley Road
• State Route 2 closed from Big Pines to state Route 138.
• San Gabriel Canyon and East Fork of the San Gabriel River
• Highway 39
• East Fork Road
• Glendora Ridge Road
• Glendora Mountain Road
• Mount Baldy Road at Shinn Road intersection
  

Resources to prep and cope with wildfire

• Listen to The Big Burn, our podcast that will get you motivated to get ready
• Wildfires are getting worse. What you need to know
• Every day is now fire season. Let's get you ready for the next wildfire burning near you
• Evacuation terms can be confusing. Here’s what they mean and how to sign up for alerts
• How to keep yourself safe from wildfire smoke
• This is why fire officials don't want you to stay and defend your home
• What does 'containment' of a fire mean, exactly
• What to do — and not do — when you get home after a wildfire
• If you want to help fire victims, resist the urge to volunteer