Tags : california, california wildfires, evacuations, scary, state of emergency
Update: Angeles National Forest Fire Now Over 140,000 Acres; Emergency Declared In San Bernardino County
California firefighters continue to battle a number of wildfires. The one in the Angeles National Forest is now at 140,000 acres and a state of emergency has been proclaimed in San Bernardino, where there are two wildfires, one of which has cost $3.6 million so far to contain.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday made the declaration after visiting the fire south of Oak Glen and Potato Canyon. So far 1,012 acres have been burned since the blaze, dubbed the Oak Glen fire, began on Aug. 30. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
Containment is now at 75 percent, and full containment is expected next Monday. A total of 1,744 personnel are working to control the fire using 182 engines, seven air tankers, 10 water tenders and 14 bulldozers.
Three injuries have been confirmed, and one home has been damaged. Thousands of structures are still in danger of being burned.
An evacuation center has been set up at the Yucaipa Community Center. A shelter for large animals is at Yucaipa Equestrian Center along California Road. Oak Glen Road from Chagall Road to Wildwood Canyon Road is still closed.
In Yucaipa still in San Bernardino, the Pendleton fire has grown to 860 acres. Authorities are still investigating what caused the blaze on Monday. So far $655,000 has been spent trying to extinguish it; complete containment is expected by Friday.
Meanwhile, the fire near Acton in the Angeles National Forest that killed two firefighters on Sunday is now at 140,150 acres. Located on Highway 2, north of La Canada and Flintridge, the massive blaze dubbed Station Fire has 4,128 personnel battling it.
Efforts have been impeded by the extremely difficult terrain, vegetation that has not burned for over four decades and hot and dry weather conditions. Authorities first estimate full containment by Sept. 15, but they now say the fire will be extinguished next Tuesday.
Mandatory evacuations are still in effect in Altadena, Acton, Tujunga, while voluntary evacuations are being implemented in Juniper Hills, Littlerock, and Glendale.
Evacuation centers are at Crescenta Valley High School, Golden Valley High School, La Canada High School, Marie Kerr Park and Verdugo High School.
Shelters for small animals are at Augora Humane Society, Baldwin Park Shelter, Lancaster Humane Society, Palmdale Humane Society and the Pasadena Humane Society. Large animals can be brought to Antelope Valley Fair Grounds and Pierce College.
Angeles National Forest covers more than 650,000 acres that have elevations ranging between 1,200 to 10,064 feet. Officials had raised the fire danger level in the forest from high to very high in July, citing the continued drying out of vegetation and the 79 wildfires in and around the forest in the previous two months.
Related posts:
- Hundreds Of Firefighters Battle Blaze In Angeles National Forest
- Firefighters Battling Blaze In Southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains; 3,500 Acres Burned
- State Of Emergency Declared Over California Wildfires
- CA Wildfires Force Thousands To Flee, Hundreds Of Fire FIghters Tackling Numerous Blazes
- California Firefighters Battle To Protect Homes From “Sheep Fire”
