These past few days of summer just got hotter with the addition of the rapidly spreading brush fire named Blue Cut fire.
Burning in the San Bernardino National Forest, the fire started at approximately 10:36 a.m. on August 16 near Cajon Pass, just west of Interstate 15. The fire grew throughout the day and night to cover more than 30,000 acres, causing road closures, evacuations and growing health concerns.
As of early Thursday, Aug. 18, the fire was only at 4 percent containment. This led California Governor Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency for the fast-moving wildfire.
Progress fighting fire
The fire is currently 31,689 acres with 1,584 personnel on scene. With 152 engines, 18 crews, eight air tankers, two large air tankers and eight helicopters, additional firefighters and equipment have been ordered and will be responding directly to the fire. Two days after the initial flames, this brush fire has affected an estimated 34,500 homes and 82,640 people with evacuation warnings.
Mandatory evacuations
- The entire community of Wrightwood north of Highway 138
- Wrightwood from San Bernardino County Line to Jackson Lake
- West of Interstate 15, and West of Highway 395 and West of Summit Valley
- South of Bear Valley Road and East of Caughlin Road.
- East of Sheep Creek, South of Phelan Road and West of Green Road, including the Desert Front Road area
- Lone Pine Canyon
- Swarthout Canyon
- West Cajon Valley
- Lytle Creek Canyon
Road openings and closures
Open
- Interstate 15 southbound is now open
- On Thursday, August 18 at 10:15 p.m. the Interstate 215 and Interstate 15 northbound connector will re-open. Shortly after this the Interstate 15 northbound will be fully open through Cajon Pass.
Closed
- Southbound 395 closed at Joshua
- Highway 138 has been closed from Interstate 15 to Highway 2
- State Route 2 closed from LA County Line to the 138
- Highway 138 closed between County Line to Highway 173
- Old Cajon Boulevard north of Devore
- Lytle Creek at Glen Helen
- Beekley Road from Phelan Road to Highway 138
- 15 Northbound at Interstate 215
- 15 Southbound at Ranchero
School closures
Closures for Thursday, August 18, 2016
- Adelanto Elementary School District
- Apply Valley Unified School District
- Barstow Unified School District
- Helendale School District
- Kimbark Elementary School
- Oro Grande School District
- SBCUSD bus operations in the Devore area only
- Silver Valley Unified School District
- Victor Elementary School District
- Victor Valley Union High School District
Closures for the rest of the week
- Hesperia Unified School District
- Snowline Unified School District
Hospital closures
- Kaiser Permanente Clinic located at 14011 Park Avenue, Victorville California 92392 was closed on Wednesday and possibly Thursday. For additional information please call 888-750-0036.
Shelters
- A care and reception center has been opened at the Jessie Turner Community Center located at 15556 Summit Avenue, Fontana California 92336.
- Sultana High School has become an overnight shelter. Located at 17311 Sultana Street, Hesperia California 92345.
Animal shelters
- Evacuees can take small animals to the Apply Valley Animal Shelter located at 22131 Powhatan Road, Apple Valley California 92308.
- Evacuees can take large and small animals to the Devore Animal Shelter located at 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino California, 92407.
- Large and small animals can also be taken to San Bernardino County Fairgrounds located at 14800 7th Street, Victorville California 92395.
Air quality
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory to be in effect through Thursday morning. Areas of direct smoke impacts in the South Coast Air Basin and unhealthy air quality will likely include:
- Portions of the Northwest San Bernardino Valley, especially near Devore
- Portions of the Central San Bernardino Mountains
- Portions of the West San Bernardino Mountains
- Portions of the Central San Bernardino Valley
Public information
- U.S. Forest Service public/media information line: 909-383-5688
- U.S. Forest Service public/media website: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov