Blue Cut Fire Updates: Moves to Lytle Creek, Images of Devastation, Fire Weather [MAP]
Blue Cut Fire in San Bernardino now 4 percent contained, at 31,000 acres; thousands of residents displaced . Mandatory evacuations in some areas have been lifted and some roads have been reopened.
The unstoppable Blue Cut Fire which has destroyed more than 35,969 acres of land, displaced thousands of residents and devastated homes has ravaged yet another town: Lytle Creek, California.
This small town along Lone Pine Canyon Road has also surrendered to the fire, which has turned into a terrifying blaze in just a few days. Officials still do not have the exact number of casualties and damages as it was too dangerous to do an actual assessment. Fire in the area is erratic. Some regions were even resistant to water and fire retardant showered by planes and helicopters. This was reported by Eric Sherwin, spokesperson for the Incident-Response Team of the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Where is the fire headed?
One of the most important things to consider is where the Blue Cut Fire is actually headed. Reports say that this could be very hard to determine, since it could depend on wind conditions, which seem to shift and change in the area.
All that is known is that firefighting crew are now focused on the area west of the fire such as the scenic town of Wrightwood and Lytle Creek. Wrightwood is densely populated, with small homes to housing projects dotting the resort town.
The ground crew are concentrating on Lone Pine Canyon Road, one of the roads leading to Wrightwood, to prevent the fire from moving towards the ridge. The area continues to have terribly high temperatures, low humidity, and gusty winds. These conditions have posed a great challenge to firefighters since Tuesday, when the fire initially broke out.
The fire is said to move north and east. It has slowed overnight and is just 4 percent contained. National Weather Service and Cal Fire have maintained red flag warnings across the area.
Some good news: evacuations lifted and some roads reopened
Mandatory evacuations were removed in some areas Thursday.
Some roads were reopened. Caltrans has allowed motorists to pass 15 Freeway, which is a major route for trucks, commuters, and motorists moving from San Diego through Inland Empire to Nevada across the Mojave Desert. Highway 138 will continue to remain closed.
Images of destruction
As the fire ceased in some areas, depressing images of destruction can be seen—photos of what remained of a family home, a charred car, bed railings, and tin cans. Fire officials say that some residents will be literally returning to nothing once the evacuations have been totally lifted.
The wildfire season in California is the busiest, with numerous wildfires burning in many areas of the state. Thousands have been affected as damages are unbelievable.
Firefighters work day and night and are now getting exhausted. Some work despite not sleeping for days, even in areas with hellish conditions.
