Bridge Fire Explodes To 46,000 Acres, Destroys Home And Ski Lifts

SAN GABRIEL CANYON, CA — The Bridge Fire that began in the San Gabriel Canyon area exploded to roughly 46,000 acres, racing toward Mount Baldy, tearing through Wrightwood, and forcing new evacuation orders Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The fire grew from 4,100 acres Tuesday to 46,727 acres and spread from Los Angeles County into San Bernardino County Wednesday morning, and destroying several homes in Wrighhtwood.

Late Tuesday night northern Claremont, San Antonio Heights and Upland from the foothills south to 23rd Street were placed under an evacuation warning as the blaze seemed to explode in multiple directions.

On Tuesday night, the communities of Wrightwood, Pinoion Hills and Mt. Baldy were under evacuation orders, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone. Several live camera feeds from Mountain High resort showed the flames tearing through ski resort within moments Tuesday night. Other videos showed flames destroying buildings in the Mt Baldy area.

Much of the destruction came alarmingly soon after evacuation orders were issued Tuesday evening.

"There has been substantial wildfire growth throughout the day with movement to the north and the east with impacts to the communities of Mt. Baldy and Wrightwood," Marrone said at a press conference Tuesday night. "Our top priority right now is to protect residents, communities, critical communications, and power-grid infrastructure."

"As a region, our fire agencies are at drawdown with three major fires burning in Southern California: the Bridge Fire here in Los Angeles County, the Line Fire in San Bernadino County, and the Airport Fire in Orange County," said Marrone. "These three simultaneous fires are stressing resources for the fire department, so we are asking for resources from Northern California and adjoining states."

With the spread of the fire toward the Inland Empire, residents in mountain and ski resort towns were ordered to evacuate Tuesday night not long before the flames headed their way.

"We urge everyone who's under an evacuation order to leave now, Marrone said. "If you are under an evacuation warning, you should prepare to leave at a moment's notice."

Video posted by KPRC2 reporter Gage Goulding showed the fire tearing through Mountain High resort in Wrightwood in just seconds.

Alex Luna, a 20-year-old missionary, saw the sky turn from a cherry red to black in about 90 minutes as an explosive wildfire raced toward Wrightwood, and authorities implored residents to leave their belongings behind and get out of town.

“It was very, I would say, hellish-like,” Luna said Tuesday night. “It was very just dark. Not a good place to be at that moment. ... Ash was falling from the sky like if it was snowing.”

Luna was among those who heeded the evacuation order that was issued for the community of about 4,500 in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles. The Bridge Fire is one of three major wildfires burning in Southern California and endangering tens of thousands of homes and other structures.

Several communities are under evacuation orders, and mountain roads remain closed in San Gabriel Canyon as of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Reinforcements have arrived to give forest officials hope they can make progress in containing the fire.

"We are using a lot of aircraft to fight this fire just because of how steep it is to get to some of these areas," said Keila Vizcarra, a public information officer for the U.S. Forest Service.

SEE ALSO: 21 Images Show CA Wildfires Wreaking Havoc On State

As of the late afternoon Tuesday, much of the fire activity was happening in the wilderness area in the north end of the blaze, spreading heavy smoke north to the Wrightwood and High Desert areas, Vizcarra said. Massive grey plumes of smoke also covered the San Gabriel Valley, spreading ash across windshields of parked cars.

The wind direction could change in the evening, and the south end of the blaze remains a top priority for firefighters because it's where the communities are, she added.

The weather has not cooperated with firefighting efforts. Humidity remains low and temperatures have reached 110 degrees in the valleys and lower mountains. A red flag warning remains in effect through noon Wednesday, creating the potential for walls of wind-driven flames.

The Bridge Fire was first reported around 3 p.m. Sunday near the area of East Fork and Glendora Mountain roads, according to the Angeles National Forest. At the initial time of report, the fire was burning 75 acres, but grew to 820 acres by 7 a.m. Monday.

By Tuesday night, it had scorched 34,240 acres with no containment.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department issued a mandatory evacuation order for the East Fork communities of Camp Williams and River Community on Sunday evening. On Monday, an evacuation order was issued for all residents north of San Antonio Dam up to the Mount Baldy Resort.

For up-to-the-minute evacuation orders, click here and check the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department X account.

As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, the following evacuations and closures remained in place:

EVACUATIONS

• Pinon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18 and Beekley Road west to L.A. County
• Lone Pine Canyon from the community of Wrightwood to Highway 138/Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest
• Entire community of Wrightwood
• East Fork communities of Camp Williams Resort (café, mobile home park, campground) and River Community (near the resort)

EVACUATION WARNINGS

• Evacuation warnings were issued Tuesday night for northern Claremont as a precaution, San Antonio Heights and Upland from the foothills south to the I-210, and Pinon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 138 and Lebec Road west to L.A. County. The southeast portion of the Bridge Fire continues to burn in northern Claremont, the city of Claremont announced.

EVACUATION CENTER

• An evacuation center was established at the Jesse Turner Center, 15556 Summit Ave., in Fontana, and the Hacienda Heights Community Center, 1234 Valencia Ave.
• San Bernardino County Fairgrounds: 14800 Seventh St., Victorville
• Pomona Fairplex: 601 W McKinley Ave., Pomona (Enter Gate 3, corner of McKinley
  and White)

• Jessie Turner Community Center 15556 Summit Ave, Fontana, CA 92336
• Hacienda Heights Community Center 1234 Valencia Ave, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745

ANIMAL EVACUATION CENTERS

• Animal evacuation centers are at:-- Devore Animal Shelter (pets/livestock): 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino. Call 909-386-9820, or after hours: 800-472-5609
• Palmdale Animal Care Center (small animals): 38550 Sierra Highway, Palmdale.
• Lancaster Animal Care Center (small animals): 5210 W. Ave. I, Lancaster.
• Antelope Valley Fairgrounds (large animals): 2551 W. Ave. H, Lancaster. Call 562-706-8581 prior to arrival.

CLOSURES:

• San Gabriel Canyon and East Fork of the San Gabriel River
• Highway 39
• East Fork Road
• Glendora Ridge Road
• Glendora Mountain Road
• Mt. Baldy Road at Shinn Road intersection

Forest visitors were being evacuated from the area, the Angeles National Forest announced on social media.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

City News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.