Calif.’s Blue Cut fire 68% contained, officials say
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Firefighters in California grew closer to containing the devastating Blue Cut wildfire, which has wiped out 105 homes and forced up to 82,650 residents to evacuate, authorities say.
The fire, which has burned more than 57 square miles in the San Bernardino Mountains, was 68% contained as of Saturday morning, according to U.S. Forest Service officials
“Things are extremely positive. We’re checking for additional hot spots that could potentially jump the line,” said Pitassi, adding that officials expect more progress and more residents returning home throughout the weekend.
Officials said Friday night that many residents who were forced to evacuate have since returned to their homes. About 7,000 people, however, still remain evacuated.
No deaths have been reported in the fire east of Los Angeles. Earlier in the day, forest officials, asked the public for help in identifying the source of the wildfire.
The fire continued burning in remote, sparsely populated mountain and canyon areas full of extremely dry brush. In the communities of Wrightwood, Lytle Creek and West Cajon Valley, 34,500 structures were threatened initially. By Friday night, however, authorities reduced that number to 3,198.
“This has been a tough couple of weeks for the people of San Bernardino County,” Fire Chief Mark Hartwig said Friday morning. More than 1,500 firefighters are battling the Blue Cut blaze.
Friday’s morning news conference was held as the county opened a “one-stop-shop” assistance center at the fairgrounds in Victorville.
The center provides fire victims all the resources and agencies they may need, including insurance, property records, medical and behavioral health practitioners, housing, the Red Cross and utility companies DMV and other state, local and federal agencies.
“The assistance center is to make it as easy as possible to get the help (people) need,” said James Ramos, chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
Among the people who evacuated the fire area were Anita and Bill Foster, a Wrightwood couple whose bags rested near their cots in the mostly-empty Sultana High School gym Thursday night.
“When we left home, we didn’t have more than the shirts on our backs,” Bill Foster said. “It was a little scary; we’ve never had to evacuate before.
“We deal with fires every year. It’s part of living up there,” Foster said. “I’ve never seen a fire like this one.”
The U.S. Forest Service has reported that this year's fire season has burned more than 300 square miles of National Forest lands in California.
The Blue Cut Fire was among number of major wildfires burning across drought-stricken California on Friday.
In the southern Sierra Nevada, another blaze feeding on dense timber in Sequoia National Forest forced the evacuation of several tiny hamlets.
Another blaze burned in Santa Barbara County and forced the evacuation of a pair of campgrounds during the height of the summer season.
In mountains north of San Francisco, a 6-square-mile blaze was 80% contained after destroying 300 structures, including 189 homes and eight businesses, in the working-class community of Lower Lake. All evacuation orders have been canceled.
Contributing Corinne Kennedy and Anna Rumer, The Desert Sun; The Associated Press