A brush fire that started late Saturday afternoon near a reservoir in San Bernardino County forced road closures and evacuations, leaving more than 100 people temporarily trapped off a highway after escaping 100-foot flames.
The fire, known as the Lake fire, started in the Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area, close to Highway 173 and Cedar Springs Dam Trail, just before 4 p.m. According to Cal Fire officials, the fire had grown from 60 acres to 477 acres by 7 p.m.
When the fire started, more than 100 people were at the reservoir and had to leave. People were evacuated from the beach to a roadside turnout on Highway 173, just north of the lake, with the assistance of boats and jet skiers. A lot of folks had on flip-flops and beach clothes.
California
The warning, which was given Friday at the East Los Angeles county fire headquarters, is a sobering reminder of how unending the fire season can seem these days.
Those who had to leave were Shaun Kirkman and Amber King, his girlfriend.
Kirkman recalled, “I was fishing in vegetation west of the beach.” I continued fishing since the fire sounded like Velcro, but it grew louder. Flames were 100 feet away. My girlfriend and I sprinted out of there.
A representative for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Gloria Orejel, stated that between 75 and 100 individuals were camped nearby and had to leave with what they had. According to her, park rangers assisted in moving individuals to a different location along the roadway. The group had been returned to their cars around 8 p.m.
Authorities announced the issuance of evacuation orders. An evacuation warning is in effect north of Highway 138, and a mandatory evacuation is in effect south of the highway, between Interstate 15 and Highway 173.
According to Cal Fire, it is under unified command with the U.S. Forest Service and the San Bernardino County Fire Department, among other local agencies. Both on the ground and in the air, firefighters have been fighting the fire. The cause is still being looked into.
Fire chiefs in Southern California warned Friday that dry conditions and little rainfall would likely lead to a season of destructive wildfires.
