February 21, 2026 9:15 AM

Smoky Haze from Airport, Bridge, and Line Fire are Hitting the High Deserts and Mountain Surrounding Communities

VICTORVILLE, CA. (Pain In The Pass) >> With cooler temperatures and a huge light wind change starting this afternoon. Smoke is pouring over the mountains into the high desert and mountains communities. With a smoky haze affecting the region due to the three huge wildfires the Airport, Bridge, and Line Fire, are burning in three Southern California Counties at this time. (Photo above is credit by Rudy Jimenez.) 

The Airport Fire, which has burned over 9,333 acres, it has started in Orange County and has burned into Riverside County. The fire was sparked on Monday afternoon September 9.

The Bridge Fire, which has burned over 4,117 acres, and has started in Los Angeles County on Sunday September 8.

The biggest fire is the Line Fire, which has burned over 27,974 acres, in San Bernardino County that started Thursday night September 5.

All three are out-of-control wildfires in the foothills of national forest land in their counties. They are also threatened tens of thousands of homes and forced hundreds of residents to flee in each county.

The high desert and mountain communities are seeing the red haziness, the smoky skies and reduced in air quality.

The Southern California Weather Force forecast calls for afternoon and overnight winds, from the onshore winds pattern. This is pushing the wildfire smoke to the north-northeast direction. This is a beginning of colder weather pattern for the next seven days.

At elevated levels of particle pollution, the South Coast Air Quality Management says children, the elderly, and individuals suffering from respiratory or heart diseases such as asthma, bronchitis or COPD can experience reduced lung function and irritation.

Some actions you can take to protect your health during such periods of include:

  • Avoiding strenuous outdoor activity.
  • Closing windows and circulating indoor air with a fan or air conditioner. Avoid using a swamp cooler or whole-house fan to prevent bringing additional smoke inside.
  • Asthmatics should keep their quick-relief medications and action plan handy.

Wednesday weather will be a lot cooler than Tuesday. With the wind pattern, it will be likely have even thicker or the same smokey skies in the forecast.

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Cajon Pass
9:15 am, Feb 21, 2026
temperature icon 42°F
clear sky
Humidity: 44 %
Pressure: 1022 mb
Wind: 11 mph
Wind Gust: 11 mph
Clouds: 3%
Visibility: 10 km
Sunrise: 6:28 am
Sunset: 5:38 pm
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42°/44°°F 0 mm 0% 5 mph 44% 1023 mb 0 mm/h
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39°/39°°F 0 mm 0% 5 mph 46% 1026 mb 0 mm/h
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