A fire raging east of Los Angeles spread rapidly Wednesday, posing a threat to more than 82,000 people and prompting the governor of California to declare a state of emergency. / AFP PHOTO / JONATHAN ALCORN
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) – by Veronique DUPONT
A fire raging east of Los Angeles spread rapidly Wednesday, posing a threat to more than 82,000 people and prompting the governor of California to declare a state of emergency.
More than 1,300 firefighters were battling the giant blaze and more were on the way, but as of early Wednesday they had been unable to contain the inferno.
Dramatic local TV news footage captured from the front line of the blaze showed “firenadoes” — tornado-like flaming vortexes — sent spinning into the air by the unusual ferociousness of the inferno.
“We have very, very dry brush, thick fuel, it helps move it along very quickly,” Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for state firefighting agency Cal Fire, told AFP. “It is very dangerous to the public and also to the firefighters.”
Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, just 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, where the so-called Bluecut Fire was quickly growing, although the cause remained unclear.
The blaze began around 10:30 am (1730 GMT) Tuesday and has already burned through 30,000 acres (more than 12,000 hectares), according to the multi-agency Inciweb information site.
More than 34,500 homes were threatened and 82,640 people were under evacuation warnings.
“There is imminent threat to public safety, rail traffic and structures in the Cajon Pass, Lytle Creek, Wrightwood, Oak Hills and surrounding areas,” Inciweb said.
“Please follow the evacuation instructions, as this is a very quickly growing wildfire.”
‘Fastest fire I’ve seen’
At a gas station in the outpost of Pinon Hills, 10 miles northwest of the fire, Jeannine Yglesia was buying ice with her 24-year-old son.
“I have 17 to 18 people staying at my house now, friends and their families that have had to evacuate from Wrightwood,” she told AFP.
“They cannot go back and don’t know about their house,” she said, before being interrupted by her cell phone.
“I have to go! My daughter is telling me we may have to evacuate as well,” she said urgently.
Gail Nieto, a 65-year-old woman buying groceries, was forced to flee Wrightwood on Tuesday night to evacuate and was staying with friends in Pinon Hills.
“It’s the fourth time in 30 years but it’s the fastest growing fire I have ever seen,” she said, trembling.
Among the equipment already deployed were 152 fire engines, eight air tankers plus two Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs), and eight helicopters, including night flying helicopters.
The inferno has claimed one high-profile victim so far: the Summit Inn, an old-fashioned diner on the world-famous Route 66 that counted celebrities like Elvis Presley and Clint Eastwood among its clientele.
There was little left than the sign, hanging above the smoldering ashes.
Two firefighters were slightly injured after being surrounded by flames. They were treated at a hospital and released, and were back on the line fighting the blaze, Inciweb said.
Perfect conditions
Several area roads were closed, as was the Mountain High ski resort in Wrightwood, which hosts hiking and other outdoor activities in warmer months.
Tolmachoff said it was rare to have so many people evacuated. Some are holding out.
“We do have people who chose not to evacuate. They cause trouble,” she said.
California is in its fifth year of a record drought and parts of the state are sizzling in a heatwave with temperatures topping 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius).
Strong seasonal gusts known as the Santa Ana winds complete the perfect conditions for wildfires.
Another major blaze has been burning 100 miles north of San Francisco since Saturday.
The Clayton fire has burned about 4,000 acres. Nearly 2,400 fire personnel are fighting the blaze, which is 40 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.
More than 175 buildings have been destroyed as the blaze moves aggressively to the north.
In central California’s wine region, the Chimney fire burned 7,300 acres near the city of San Luis Obispo. It has destroyed 40 buildings since starting on Saturday, and 25 percent of it was under control.
And in the scenic coastal area of Big Sur, the Soberanes fire had scorched more than 76,000 acres and was 60 percent contained. More than 3,000 firefighters were battling the huge blaze.
Twenty-two major fires are currently raging across the western United States. Among those, there were six in California, four in Wyoming and three each in Colorado and Montana, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.