Bridge Fire continues to burn out of control

The Bridge Fire that erupted in the San Gabriel Canyon above Glendora continued to swell in size by midweek as it chewed through terrain and structures in San Bernardino County, becoming the largest active blaze in California.
The wildfire was reported around 3 p.m. Sept. 8 near the area of East Fork and Glendora Mountain roads, according to officials with the Angeles National Forest. On Tuesday afternoon, the fire was listed at about 4,100 acres, but by that evening, it had exploded in size to more than 34,000 acres. As of Wednesday afternoon, Cal Fire reported that the blaze had burned 49,008 acres, fueled by thick brush that carried the flames into the San Bernardino County community of Wrightwood and into the Mountain High Ski Resort.
“Last night, the Bridge Fire continued to exhibit extreme fire behavior as it increased over 13,000 acres mainly on the north and east flanks,” according to an early morning Wednesday update from fire commanders. “The top priority for firefighters remained in structure protection and defense within the communities of Wrightwood, Pinon Hills and Mount Baldy.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that as of Wednesday morning, the fire had destroyed about 20 homes in the Mount Baldy area, 13 homes in the Wrightwood area and six cabins in the wilderness areas affected by the blaze. Marrone said no significant injuries were reported and no deaths, adding that despite slowly cooling temperatures, “we still have potential for large fire growth today.”
“It’s very steep terrain, inaccessible, so that’s making it a challenge for our firefighters,” he said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said an off-duty sheriff’s deputy and two people with him in the fire zone were trapped by the flames Wednesday morning near the Mount Baldy area. He said they were all safe and uninjured, but rescue teams hoping to hoist them to safety were unable to immediately reach the trio due to the heavy smoke in the area. Luna insisted all three were safe and in good condition, and were “just waiting for the right circumstances to be rescued.”
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 ani
mals): 38550 Sierra Highway, Palmdale.
— Lancaster Animal Care Center (small ani
mals): 5210 W. Ave. I, Lancaster.
— Antelope Valley Fairgrounds (large ani
mals): 2551 W. Ave. H, Lancaster. Call 562-
706-8581 prior to arrival.
“The safety of our community members is our number one priority, and we will continue to assist residents in any way that we can. We encourage all residents in the affected areas who have been given an order to evacuate to please listen to the orders. If we’re asking you to evacuate, there is no property worth risking your life for,” Luna said.