Fire crews were working to gain control of several wildfires burning across Southern California Thursday morning, but warned that the threat remained to communities in the fires’ path.
The Bridge fire has consumed at least 20 homes in Wrightwood, Mt Baldy Village and other mountain villages — and more than 1,000 buildings are still threatened by the blaze, officials said Wednesday night.
The fire broke out Sunday in the Angeles National Forest and exploded from 4,000 acres to more than 50,000 acres between Tuesday and Wednesday. It had blackened 51,167 hectares by Thursday morning without any containment.
Officials hope cooling temperatures can help slow the flames.
In the two other major fires in Southern California – the Airport Fire and the Line Fire – at least 13 people, including several firefighters, have been injured. As of Thursday morning, the Airport Fire had charred 23,410 acres in Riverside and Orange counties and was 5% contained, and the Line Fire in San Bernardino County had burned 37,207 acres and was 18% contained. Areas east of both fires were still under evacuation orders.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday night for the three fires.
Eight firefighters and two civilians were injured and sent to hospitals for treatment Monday and Tuesday as a result of the airport fire, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Sean Doran told The Times. Two of the victims suffered burns.
The agency did not provide information on the patients’ status or the severity of their injuries.