Bridge Fire in Angeles National Forest grows to over 34,000 acres; state of emergency declared

A state of emergency was declared as the Bridge Fire in the Angeles National Forest exploded to over 34,000 acres Tuesday night as crews battle the fast-moving blaze.

The Bridge Fire was first reported Sunday around 2 p.m. at East Fork Road near Glendora Mountain Road, north of San Dimas and west of Mount Baldy.

On Monday, the fire quickly grew from 100 to 800 acres within a few hours while burning overnight. On Tuesday morning, the fire had grown to 3,786 acres. Less than an hour later, the blaze had was at 4,178 acres. By 8:30 p.m., the fire had expanded to 34,240 acres with zero percent containment.

Evacuation orders were issued for:

• The community of Wrightwood
• Area of Lone Pine Canyon from the community of Wrightwood to Highway 138 / Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest
• East Fork communities east of Camp Williams Resort – including the café, mobile home park and campground – as well as the adjacent river community
• The Baldy Village area from the dam to Mount Baldy Resort is also under an evacuation order
• Community of Pinion Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18 and Beekley Road west to Los Angeles County

Evacuation warnings were issued for:

• San Antonio Heights
• Upland from the foothills south to the 210 Freeway
• Northern Claremont in zones CLA -E 006a and CLA-E003. Check if your home is in the evacuation zone here.

Several road closures are in place:

• Highway 39
• East Fork Road
• Glendora Mountain Road
• Glendora Ridge Road
• Mount Baldy Road at Shinn Road
• San Gabriel Canyon and East Fork San Gabriel River
• SR-138 closed from Lone Pine to Beekley Road
• SR-2 closed from Big Pine to SR-138

“Evacuation route is down Mt. Baldy Road,” fire officials said. “Glendora Ridge Road is impassable. Make sure to gather your pets, important documents, medications, and any essential belongings before you leave. Your safety is the priority! Don’t delay in evacuating.”

Officials confirmed a number of homes and structures have been destroyed. A live stream camera from Mountain High ski resort showed ski lifts on the property engulfed in flames.

An evacuation shelter has been set up at the Jesse Turner Health and Fitness Community Center at 15556 Summit Avenue in Fontana.

Animals under evacuation can be brought to the Devore Animal Shelter at 19777 Shelter Way in San Bernardino. For more information call 909-386-9820 or 800-472-5609.

A state of emergency was declared by San Bernardino County officials Tuesday night as the fire shows no signs of weakening.

Residents in the area are scrambling to safety while hoping their homes survive the fast-moving blaze.

“You can’t see anything, it’s just pure black in the canyon,” said Jenny Alaniz, a local who was evacuated. “I got our dogs out. Our house is going to burn. You could see the fire coming over the mountains and knowing if you didn’t get out, you’re going to burn because there’s only one way in and one way out.”

U.S. Forest officials said due to the remoteness of the area and the potential for the flames to spread toward communities with higher populations, it is critical to heed any warnings put out by authorities.

“Suppression efforts are prioritized on the south side of the fire, where Quick Reaction Force night-flying helicopters applied fire retardant nonstop for over five hours, aiding firefighters in their containment line construction,” fire officials said. “This area, along with the east and west flanks, remain the top priority to protect communities, critical communication and power infrastructure.”

Nearly 6,000 ground and air crews are working to contain the growing blaze on Tuesday night.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state has requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help reimburse the costs of fighting both the Bridge and Airport fires.

The Bridge Fire is one of three large active wildfires burning in the Los Angeles metro area and one of 18 wildfires currently burning across California.

The Line Fire , which started Thursday in San Bernardino County, exploded to 26,000 acres by Tuesday morning, and the Airport Fire in Orange County scorched 8,500 acres in less than 24 hours after it was first reported Monday afternoon.

The cause of the Bridge Fire remains under investigation.

This developing story will be updated.

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