Vista Fire finally sees improved containment, evacuations lifted in San Bernardino County

The wildfire near Lytle Creek in San Bernardino County is finally seeing an improving containment rate — with all evacuation orders lifted — after firefighters struggled for days with steep, rugged terrain and other complications.

After first starting July 7, the Vista Fire remained 0% contained for the first four days and burned through 2,700 acres during that time, alarming Lytle Creek residents as local authorities braced for thunderstorms over the weekend. Firefighters worked to keep the fire from spreading to more populated areas and Mt. Baldy, where the ski resort and hiking trails were closed for several days.

"You know, you don't want to sleep at night, you're just a nervous wreck the whole time and you keep asking the same questions," Robin Boytor, who lives in Lytle Creek, said during a July 11 meeting where local residents expressed concern over the fire's path.

But in the days following, firefighting efforts made significant progress as containment climbed upwards consistently and they kept the blaze from spreading beyond the established perimeter. 

As of Tuesday morning, the Vista Fire now stands at 2,936 acres and 59% containment with firefighters focused mostly on mopping up burned areas and strengthening the wildfire's containment lines. A total of 416 structures are still under threat, authorities said. 

While no evacuations are currently in effect, the U.S. Forest Service has kept parts of the San Bernardino National Forest and Angeles National Forest closed to the public including local roads and campgrounds. Lytle Creek Road is closed as well as recreation areas located north of Glen Helen Parkway. 

In the meantime, firefighters are working to restore areas scorched by the Vista Fire. 

"We're now switching to suppression repair — which consists of returning disturbed areas to the desired condition. The team is just as enthusiastic about repair as we are about fighting fire," Deputy Incident Commander Stephen Fillmore said in an update Tuesday from the San Bernardino National Forest. "We take pride in our work and want to leave the forest in good shape."

Earlier this week, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the area, warning of fire-prone weather conditions including warm temperatures, low humidity and drier fuels that can spark and drive forward wildfires. But local fire authorities said conditions have improved since then and the fire is expected to soon be fully contained.