Blue Cut Fire - San Bernardino/Cajon Pass

[FreeLancer]

I-15 North is open. CalTrans is telling motorists to expect delays and to fill their fuel tanks.

[Morning Sunshine]

If it were not so dangerous and destructive, that would be beautiful. About how far away are you when you took those?

Cedar

I have always thought wildfires were beautiful.  Part of their deadliness, I imagine.

[Cedar]

6am Update:
31,600 acres and is 4% contained. SW winds will pick up again today

How fast is this fire? News media are saying it is eating up the equivalent of 500 football fields an hour.

Cedar

[Cedar]

These are cars on Highway 138. I hope everyone got out.


Cedar

[Cedar]

The Blue Cut fire could cost Southern California’s shipping industry $1 million a day
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20160817/the-blue-cut-fire-could-cost-southern-californias-shipping-industry-1-million-a-day

And shows how vital the I-5 up and down the West Coast is. More than 5,500 trucks were stranded.

Cedar

[Cedar]

This guy had an interesting perspective. He was hiking on Mt Baldy when the fire broke out. Read his picture descriptions. He only noticed the fire when the helicopters were going over
https://m.reddit.com/r/hiking/comments/4y9f98/a_major_fire_broke_out_yesterday_during_my_hike_i/?compact=true&utm_content=buffer1c97c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer



Cedar

[endurance]

I suspect they're spending well over a million a day on suppression.  Each drop out of a single VLAT is $35,000-60,000.

[Cedar]

Cedar

[Cedar]

UPDATE:
31,689 acres, 4% contained, 1,584 personnel, northbound I-15 open, southbound still closed. Southbound just opened.
I-15 now open in both directions.

LIVE FEED:
http://abc7.com/live/

Scanner:
San Bernardino County System 1 - Fire
http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/7010/web

San Bernardino County System 1 - Sheriff and Fire
http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/19088/web

Heavy equipment is cutting firelines to protect homes. This dozer works a line on Wright Mountain Road to protect structures


Cedar

[FreeLancer]

Flames are moving downhill toward the 15-215 Y near Devore. May have to close rail and road traffic through the pass again.

[Cedar]

Last Night's Update:
The fire is currently 35,969 acres, 22% containment and 1584 personnel on scene. 178 engines, 26 crews, 10 air tankers, 2 Very Large Air Tankers (VLATS), and 17 Helicopters, including night flying helicopters.

It's burned 59-square miles.

Fire will continue to move to the north, northwest and northeast towards Wrightwood, Victor Valley,Phelan, Baldy Mesa and South Hesperia. As the fire crosses the ridge to the west, it will back towards the community of Lytle Creek.

Road Closures:
I-15 closures-
#4 lane remains closed between Cleghorn Road to SR138.
• All ramps remain closed at:
o Kenwood Avenue
o Cleghorn Road
o SR138
Intermittent closures anywhere on I-15 are possible as work progresses.

Highway 138 has been closed from Interstate 15 to Highway 2
State Route 2 closed from LA County Line to the 138
Hwy 138 closed between County Line to Summit Valley Rd.
Old Cajon Blvd north of Devore Cutoff
Lytle Creek @ Glen Helen
Beekley Road from Phelan Road to the138
Hwy 138 to Lone Pine Canyon has been closed.

a bunch of schools are still closed.

Cedar

[Cedar]

7am update:
Now at 37,002 acres & 26% containment.

Lytle Creek, West Cajon Valley and Wrightwood areas will remain shut down until it's safe.

Containment lines along the Blue Cut Fire the black marks the contained portion.


Cedar

[FreeLancer]

Much less smoke on the horizon last night, and no flames visible on my side, at least nothing I could capture with my camera.

[Cedar]

Afternoon Update:
A Damage Assessment Team working under the Blue Cut Fire Unified Command announced today that a preliminary estimate of 96 single family residences and 213 outbuildings were destroyed by the Blue Cut Fire. This is a preliminary report.

Approximately 34,500 structures remain threatened in the communities of rightwood, Oak Hills, Phelan, Lytle Creek, Baldy Mesa, West Cajon Valley, South Hesperia, and Summit Valley.

Structures are known to have been damaged or destroyed but cannot currently be assessed due to the extreme fire behavior and growth.

Cedar

[FreeLancer]

Almost no smoke tonight now that they've got 40% containment.

[Cedar]

Morning Update:

MANDATORY EVACUATIONS AREAS
The entire community of Wrightwood
Community of Lytle Creek Canyon
West Cajon Valley

The initial evacuated population of 82,649 people
Approximately 7,000 civilians remain evacuated.

Total Personnel fighting the fire 2,684
Size   37,020 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained 68% (YAY!!)

Cedar

[FreeLancer]

A 68% level of containment in such a short time seems unusual.  Although I can't find the reference now, one theory I came across yesterday (I think on the radio or TV) was that this fire so thoroughly consumed all the fuels that there was virtually no possibility for burned areas to reignite, which makes it easier to contain.  Try as I might I can't find anything on the web to support that theory, though.

The big worry right now with the Blue Cut is the area SE of Wrightwood, which has 70 years worth of very dry vegetation.

As bad as this fire was, it could have been so much worse during the Santa Ana winds in a few months.  Instead of the 25 mph wind tunnel we saw two days ago, the Cajon Pass will be blowing 75 mph two months from now.

With five years of drought, SoCal exists in a state of high fire danger 24/7/365, not just during the Santa Ana periods in the fall.  Things will likely get much worse before it gets better around here.

[endurance]

It likely burned near roads and they burned out from the roads. When there is no unburned fuel between a road and the fire, that section is contained.

[FreeLancer]

The Earp Cabin, built by Wyatt Earp's brother Virgil, was destroyed:  http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20160819/earp-cabin-clyde-ranch-barn-among-local-historical-vestiges-lost-to-blue-cut-fire

I'd never heard of it, but many members of the Earp family did live in this area in the late 1800's.

[Cedar]

The Earp Cabin, built by Wyatt Earp's brother Virgil, was destroyed:

aw man...



Morning Update:
83% contained.
Fire Status: Firefighters continued to extinguish hot spots within fire lines. The work of firefighters and utility crews enabled the lifting of the mandatory evacuation of Wrightwood which is now open to residents. Tonight firefighters will continue to work aggressively to complete containment lines and reinforce existing lines. Utility companies will continue work to replace damaged or destroyed infrastructure. The fire has destroyed 105 single family homes and 213 other minor structures.

Cedar

[FreeLancer]

Day 7:  89% containment, evacuation orders lifted, all highways and rail lines reopened.

[endurance]

I take it the weather has changed?  The acts of man are unlikely to stop a monster like that when the weather is against them.

[FreeLancer]

The temperature, humidity, and wind speed moderated around Day 4, but the dry hot Santa Ana winds will be here in a couple months and if someone's cigarette or engine doesn't touch off another inferno, we can always count on some crazy guy with an incendiary device.

[endurance]

The temperature, humidity, and wind speed moderated around Day 4, but the dry hot Santa Ana winds will be here in a couple months and if someone's cigarette or engine doesn't touch off another inferno, we can always count on some crazy guy with an incendiary device.

Have you read The Esparanza Fire?  Fascinating book from your neck of the woods involving arson, extreme fire conditions, and the first time an arsonist faced the death penalty for his actions.

[FreeLancer]

You've mentioned it before, but I haven't read it yet, although I remember the incident well.

[Cedar]

Update:
Still burning
914 firefighters on it
Size   36,274 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained 100%

Cedar