Three rapidly expanding wildfires in Southern California have ravaged over 100,000 acres within a week, endangering homes across several communities. The state has launched a comprehensive response to support frontline firefighters tackling the infernos.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday night for Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties due to the Bridge Fire and for Orange and Riverside counties due to the Airport Fire. Earlier, he had declared a state of emergency for the Line Fire.
Nearly 6,000 members of the National Guard, law enforcement, and other first responders have been deployed. The effort includes 51 firefighting helicopters, nine fixed-wing aircraft, 520 fire engines, 75 bulldozers, and 141 water tankers, with two National Guard C-130 planes among the fixed-wing aircraft. Two of the fires remained uncontrolled on Wednesday.
🇺🇸FIREFIGHTERS STRETCHED TO LIMIT BY THREE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES!
Southern California is suddenly besieged by fire.
Experts say fall will be worse….👀
Crews struggle to contain the 28,000-acre Line fire in San Bernardino County, the 19,000-acre Airport fire in Orange County,… pic.twitter.com/rdvzcGWnuK
— WORLD AT WAR (@World_At_War_6) September 11, 2024
The largest fire, the Bridge Fire, started on Sunday in the Angeles National Forest, about 31 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It surged overnight from 4,000 acres on Tuesday to nearly 48,000 acres by Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
With 0% containment, the Bridge Fire spread across Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, destroying the Mountain High Ski Resort. Images showed the chairlift engulfed in flames. The fire also threatens the small mountain communities of Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy, officials stated.
Cal Fire reported that at least 33 homes in Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy have been destroyed, and another 2,500 structures are at risk. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reported that three people, including an off-duty sheriff sergeant, were trapped by the Bridge Fire about 5 miles west of Mt. Baldy. Rescuers are trying to reach them, but heavy smoke is hindering helicopter access. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is attempting to reach them by vehicle.
A homeowner in Lake Elsinore, Candace Lace, expressed the distress caused by the Bridge Fire. “My girlfriend lost her home, and I had to call her and tell her she’s losing her home. I could see it on fire,” Lace said.
By Wednesday morning, the Bridge Fire had burned 47,904 acres, leading to numerous evacuation orders and warnings, Cal Fire reported.
Stephanie Beck, a Wrightwood resident, described the fire’s rapid spread. “We really didn’t even have time to think,” Beck said of their quick evacuation. “It was just throw everything in the car and go.”
On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department arrested Justin Wayne Halstenberg in connection with the Line Fire, which has been burning areas east of Los Angeles since September 5th. Halstenberg, a 34-year-old from Norco, California, was identified as the suspect who started the fire near Baseline Road and Alpin Street in Highland. He is being held on suspicion of arson, with bail set at $80,000.
As of Wednesday evening, the Line Fire had burned 36,481 acres and was 18% contained, threatening more than 65,600 structures, including homes and commercial properties. Authorities issued evacuation orders for 13,300 structures, with another 52,300 under evacuation warnings. No structures have been confirmed damaged or destroyed. Three firefighters have been injured in the effort to contain the blaze.
Cal Fire noted that elevated winds and continued dry conditions are likely to allow the fire to grow. “Smoke from fires across the region will help moderate fire activity unless the skies clear and the smoke thins,” the statement read. Over 3,100 firefighting personnel are battling the blaze.
On Tuesday evening, Newsom requested aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to secure vital resources for the Bridge and Airport fires.
The Airport Fire, which began on Monday in an unincorporated area of Orange County and spread to Riverside County, had burned 22,376 acres by Wednesday, growing by 3,348 acres overnight. The blaze is 0% contained and threatens 10,500 structures. So far, it has injured five firefighters and two civilians, according to Cal Fire.
Officials said the Airport Fire started around 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday, sparked by county public works crews working on a fire prevention project. The crews were trying to move boulders to prevent motorcyclists from accessing an area with a lot of dry vegetation that could easily ignite.
On Tuesday afternoon, officials announced mandatory evacuations for 1,400 homes in Robinson Ranch in Rancho Santa Margarita as the fire moved south toward Lake Elsinore and Dove Canyon.
On Wednesday, 16 active wildfires were burning across California, scorching 613,819 acres in total. This fire season, 6,045 wildfires have erupted in California, consuming more than 900,000 acres, according to a statement from Governor Newsom.
What Other Media Are Saying
- NBC Los Angeles reports on the Bridge Fire, which has burned nearly 48,000 acres, destroying dozens of homes and threatening 2,500 structures, with no significant injuries reported.(read more)
- The Japan Times reports that a wildfire in Los Angeles exploded overnight, engulfing dozens of homes and spreading rapidly through the towns of Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy, fueled by a heat wave and strong winds, with at least 33 homes destroyed.(read more)
- KQED reports that fires in Southern California have exploded in size, threatening communities and worsening air quality, with the Bridge Fire now exceeding 47,000 acres, followed by the Airport Fire in Orange County at over 22,000 acres.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
How many acres have been burned by the wildfires in Southern California?
Which counties have declared a state of emergency due to the wildfires?
Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside counties.
How many National Guard members and first responders are involved in fighting the fires?
What is the status of the Bridge Fire?
It has burned 47,904 acres with 0% containment.
Who was arrested in connection with the Line Fire?
Justin Wayne Halstenberg, a 34-year-old man from Norco, California.