Fast-moving Bridge Fire Explodes in Size Forces Evacuations in Big Pines, Mt Baldy, and Wrightwood Tuesday Afternoon

WRIGHTWOOD, CA, (Pain In The Pass) >> An uncontrolled wildfire in Los Angeles and parts of San Bernardino County quadrupled in size this afternoon, exploding from 3,789 acres to nearly 34,300 acres at Tuesday evening. The fire forced mandatory evacuations late Tuesday afternoon in mountain communities that include Big Pines, Mt Baldy, and Wrightwood area prompted evacuation warnings for Pinion Hills, Llano, and parts of Phelan.

The fire quadrupled in size from Monday that started on Sunday north of Glendora around 800 acres by the evening as it spread northeast towards into the San Bernardino Mountains toward Big Pines, Mt Baldy, and Wrightwood. Steep terrain and lack of access limited the ability of crews to access some areas of the fires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.

The Southern California Weather Force forecast calls for afternoon and overnight winds, from the onshore flow (winds pattern from the ocean to the valley). This is pushing the wildfire smoke to the north-northeast direction.

This is a beginning of colder weather pattern for the next seven days.

Wrightwood, a community of about 4,500 residents, a popular tourist destination of Mountain High Winter Resort in the town. About 1,500 people live in Big Pines. On Tuesday, residents jammed exit routes as they scrambled to comply with mandatory evacuation orders issued by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Images from a live video feed posted on social media showed a long line of vehicles slowly moving down Hwy 2.

Other areas under evacuation orders, which are issued when conditions are immediately dangerous and life-threatening, include:

The town of Big Rock Springs, Valyermo, Llano, Pinon Hills, and parts of Phelan Tuesday evening.

At this time Highway 138 is closed between Hwy 2 and Hwy 18. Hwy 2 is closed from Hwy 138 to Vincent Gulch Road.

Update in Wrightwood, sadly the fire has destroyed at least 13 structures and 20 homes lost in Mt. Baldy Village.

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