Officials said that three major wildfires were burning in Southern California on Tuesday. They threatened thousands of homes, and firefighters, along with the California National Guard, were fighting to control the fires amid triple-digit temperatures.
Officials said that the Line Fires in San Bernardino County and Orange County, as well as the Airport Fire and Bridge Fire in Los Angeles County, were all fueled by dry vegetation. They are also spreading quickly.
Line Fire
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention, as of Tuesday afternoon, the Line Fire threatened 65,600 buildings, including residential and commercial properties.
On Monday night, fire crews contained the fire to 5%. Gavin Newsom sent the California National Guard to assist in the ongoing efforts to extinguish this blaze.
Cal Fire reported that no buildings were damaged or destroyed even though 9,200 structures had been evacuated and another 56,400 others were under evacuation warnings.
Newsom stated in a press release that “we’re putting resources into this incident aggressively, by deploying additional air and ground assistance through the California National Guard.” “This is in addition to the nearly 2,000 firefighters, nearly 200 engines, and air assets that we already have fighting this fire. California is with these communities.
Newsom stated that the California National Guard would support the ongoing response to the Line Fire. The cause is still under investigation. Eighty troops, divided into four teams of 20 people each and one military police unit have been dispatched to the fire site to help the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department control traffic in the evacuated areas.
National Guard troops also assist firefighters in fighting the fires. Newsom stated that the National Guard has deployed four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters to drop buckets of water and two C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems.
Cal Fire stated that the fire started on Sept. 5 and is burning in steep terrain. This makes it difficult to access. Cal Fire said that firefighters are building “control lines” to contain the fire.
“Stronger wind is predicted for Tuesday, which could contribute to a longer range of spotting and help with fire spreading.” Cal Fire stated that mid-week cooling could moderate fire activity, and increase fuel moistness.
Airport Fire
Cal Fire reports that a major fire broke out in Southern California on Monday afternoon, causing the evacuation of 1,427 houses in an unincorporated part of Orange County. Cal Fire reported that the fast-moving Airport Fire, located in Trabuco Canyon to the south of Irvine in the hills southeast, had consumed 9,333 acres as of Tuesday.
Cal Fire reported that the fire was only 0% contained as of Tuesday afternoon.
Officials said at a press conference held late Tuesday afternoon that 1,400 homes within Robinson Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita, were being evacuated due to the fire spreading south towards communities such as Lake Elsinore or Dove Canyon.
Firefighting efforts, including air and ground efforts, were expected to continue overnight depending on the weather and fire conditions.
Carol Gamble, Mayor of Rancho Santa Margarita, urged residents to obey evacuation orders. She stressed that the priority is saving lives, and property protection comes second.
Cal Fire had earlier reported that two firefighters who were battling the fire suffered heat-related injuries, and a civilian with smoke inhalation also received treatment at a hospital. The fire was raging in the direction of the Cleveland National Forest.
Officials said that at least four people including a couple with their 3-year-old son who were hiking in the area had to be airlifted. Officials said that a man and his cats had to be airlifted from their home.
The fire was threatening several emergency communication towers, including those operated by local radio stations, on Santiago Peak.
Officials stated that the Airport Fire started around 1 p.m. on Tuesday. It was caused by county public works workers working on a project to prevent fires by moving boulders to block public access, mostly motorcyclists, to an area with dry vegetation that could easily ignite.
TJ McGovern, Deputy Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority said, “The fire was classified as unintentional.”
On Tuesday, at least 1,000 firefighters battled the fire.
The Bridge Fire
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Bridge Fire in Los Angeles County had already burned 4,178 acres. The fire in the Angeles National Forest north of Azusa is 0% contained.
A mobile home park, a campground, and a small community on the river have been ordered to evacuate.
