Containment Now 22 Percent In Blue Cut Fire

DEVORE (CBSLA.com/AP) — Firefighters made progress Thursday in the battle against the Blue Cut fire, which has burned 56 square miles in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Fire authorities announced Wednesday evening the fire is 22 percent contained.

A total of 1,584 firefighters are working the fire, with support from air tankers and bulldozers. The firefight was concentrated in a spot between Lytle Creek and Wrightwood Wednesday night.

Evacuation orders were lifted in South Hesperia, East Oak Hills and West Oak Hills Wednesday night.

A portion of  state route 138 near Silverwood Lake remained closed Wednesday evening. Drivers who abandoned their cars in the area during the height of the fire were advised to contact the CHP to retrieve vehicles.

After five years of drought, California's wildlands have seen a continuous streak of destructive and sometimes deadly fires this year.

The dry vegetation is like firewood, said fire information officer Sean Collins.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Blue Cut Fire

"It burns that much quicker, that much hotter. The rate of travel is extremely fast," he said.

Fire officials indicated there were significant property losses but had yet to release a tally, leaving those who fled waiting to find out whether their homes were still standing.

Steve Boyd, 67, fled Wednesday with his wife from the mountain community of Lytle Creek. The former volunteer firefighter recalled staying behind during a destructive 2003 wildfire but didn't regret leaving this time.

"It's just stuff," he said of his possessions.

One casualty of the fire was a 144 year old cabin in Lone Pine Cabin near Wrightwood. It was built by the brother of wild west legend Wyatt Earp.

Firefighters worked through the night to defend Lytle Creek.

"They made numerous saves," fire information officer Bob Poole said.

Boyd had a stern warning for those who chose not to heed evacuation orders.

"A garden hose is not going to help," he said.

The fire unleashed its initial fury on a semi-rural landscape dotted with small ranches and homes in Cajon Pass and on the edge of the Mojave Desert before climbing the mountains.

Travel was returning to normal Thursday in the pass -- a major corridor for trucking, rail and commuter traffic -- after Interstate 15 was fully reopened.

Evacuation orders for East Oak Hills and South Hesperia in San Bernardino County) were also lifted.

No deaths were reported but crews assessing property damage were using cadaver dogs during searches.

Residents like Vi Delgado and her daughter April Christy were among those wondering whether their home was intact, though they had found out that their pets and the shelter animals they take care of had been saved. They had been through earlier wildfires, but nothing like this one.

"No joke, we were literally being chased by the fire," Christy said in a voice choked with emotion in a minivan outside the Fontana evacuation center. "You've got flames on the side of you. You've got flames behind you."

In mountains north of San Francisco, fire crews gained more ground on a wildfire as damage inspectors surveyed the area to determine how many structures were destroyed or damaged.

The 6-square-mile blaze was 55 percent contained after destroying at least 268 structures, including 175 homes and eight businesses, in the working-class community of Lower Lake.

Damin Pashilk is charged with 14 counts of arson in connection with 12 separate fires dating back to July 2015 and one count of attempted arson. The 40-year-old construction worker appeared in court Wednesday, but he did not enter a plea.

A full list of evacuations, road closures and evacuation centers can be found on the U.S. Forest Service's incident page.

A smoke advisory has been issued for portions of the northwest and central San Bernardino Valley.

Adelanto Elementary School District, Apple Valley Unified School District, Barstow Unified School District, Helendale School District, Hesperia Unified School District, Kimbark Elementary, Oro Grande Unified School District, Silver Valley Unified School District, Snowline Unified School District, Victor Elementary School District, and Victor Valley High School District will remain closed until further notice due to air quality concerns.

San Bernardino County Unified School District buses that service the Devore community will not operate due to road closures.