The Edgehill Fire is the newest blaze scorching up thousands of acres and structures in southern California – and weather conditions seem all but promising.
Another Day, Another Fire
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There seems to be no end in sight for the thousands of people fighting and/or fleeing the flames in the United States, with new wildfires seemingly appearing every few days.
The latest blaze, the Edgehill Fire, was ignited around 2:40 p.m. on Monday on Little Mountain, approximately 1.5 miles from California State University, San Bernardino.
Causing Major Drama
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A little over two hours later, around 4:53 p.m., that blaze had destroyed nearly 100 acres and forced the evacuation of thousands, as stated by KTLA-TV.
Live footage showed dozens of houses and other structures engulfed by the fire.
Out of Control
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According to the San Bernardino County Fire Department, who’s in charge of this particular operation, the blaze continued scorching at a “rapid rate of spread.”
County Fire Captain Jose Cruz claimed: “It was pretty intense, the high heat and winds didn’t help.”
Widespread Damage
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But with the fire spreading so quickly, it was hard to keep track of all the damage. According to the department, the fire destroyed about 54 acres of land.
But as per Cal Fire, the damage is nearly twice as large, estimating it to be around 100 acres.
Not a New Thing
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Evacuation orders were issued by the San Bernardino County Fire Department for all the houses on the mountain’s south side, situated around an hour east of Los Angeles.
“Little Mountain is a community that is not unaccustomed to fire,” fire department spokesperson Eric Sherwin stated to KTLA. “The residents here are aware of fire and the threat that exists in this community. As engines were pulling up, people were already evacuating out of this area.”
Leave NOW
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Evacuation orders also stretched to the region of Ridge Line Drive, including all residents living in:
- The south side of as well as south of Ridge Line Drive
- The north side as well as north of Edgehill Road, west to and including Beverly Drive; plus, east to Circle Road.
Worsened by Weather
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Not making the situation any easier are the excessively high temperatures that’s been dominating the area.
According to the San Bernardino County Fire Department, the temperature was near to 110 degrees Fahrenheit as they reached the area and continued to vary between 107- and 109-degrees Fahrenheit.
Scorching Summer Heat
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As per the National Weather Service, extreme temperature warnings have been issued for the majority of the Inland Empire, which includes San Bernardino, and are predicted to last until at least 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Take Caution
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To lower the odds of heat-related illnesses, the National Weather Service reminds everyone to drink plenty of water during the day to stay hydrated.
The agency is also warning that the most vulnerable, including older adults, young children, pregnant women, outdoor workers, athletes, and people suffering from chronic medical conditions, need to be extra careful.
Damage is Done
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One of the evacuees, Erika Hernandez, might have survived the fire, but her house (and three dogs) wasn’t so lucky.
“It’s a nightmare, a living nightmare,” she said, referring to the many houses in the Shandin Hills neighborhood that have been reduced to ashes.
Uncontainable
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Unable to be contained in time, the blaze quickly spread throughout the neighborhood and also torched several other houses on West Vista Drive.
What About the Park Fire?
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Meanwhile, the fourth largest fire in California’s history keeps on burning in the state’s northern region.
Last Saturday, over 6,000 firefighters were battling the blaze in Central Valley, yet that didn’t make much of a difference.
Still Doing Its Worst
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By Monday morning, the Park Fire was only 34% contained after it had already scorched more than 400,000 acres and ravaged 640 structures, as reported by the Redding Record Searchlight.
High Winds
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Again, weather conditions weren’t favorable at all, as temperatures of 100 degrees F combined with wind speeds totaling 25 mph (even faster in certain areas) made it that much more difficult to contain the fire.
Wilderness terrain about 100 miles north of California’s capital, Sacramento, was completely destroyed.
Who Did It?
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It is believed that the Park Fire was started by an arsonist on July 24th.
Witnesses reported seeing a man, who has been arrested since, push a flaming car down a 60-foot gully near Chico. That has resulted in about 600 square miles of land being utterly destroyed, which exceeds the size of the entire Los Angeles.
What’s His Deal?
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As of Saturday, the 42-year-old suspect had not entered a plea bargain, yet had been charged with arson with no chance of bail, as stated by officials.
One for the History Books
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Since the Park Fire was ignited, more than 560 homes had been lost, with downed wood and dry vegetation actively feeding the flames.
The Park Fire has caused more than 4,000 people to be evacuated.
That’s Not All
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Currently, over 30 large-scale wildfires are being battled in the Pacific Northwest.
More than 460,000 acres of land have been charred near Durkee, Oregon.
How Long?
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And over in Washington, firefighters are still trying to extinguish the Pioneer Fire, which has been burning for nearly two months.
According to fire officials, that blaze is now burning about a quarter mile from the town of Stehekin.
It’s Serious
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According to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Oregon’s wildfires forced more than 9,000 residents to be evacuated on Monday, with 1,747 away from a level-three notice that warns everyone to flee immediately.
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