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Bridge Fire

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Coordinates: 34°14′20″N 117°45′43″W / 34.239°N 117.762°W / 34.239; -117.762
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Bridge Fire
The Bridge Fire seen from the air on September 9
Date(s)
  • September 8, 2024 (2024-09-08) –
  • present
  • (3 days)
Location
Coordinates34°14′20″N 117°45′43″W / 34.239°N 117.762°W / 34.239; -117.762
Statistics
Perimeter0% contained
Burned area47,904 acres (19,386 ha; 75 sq mi; 194 km2)
Impacts
Deaths0
Non-fatal injuries0
Structures destroyed39
Ignition
CauseUnder investigation
Map
The Bridge Fire's mapped perimeter as of September 11, 2024
The Bridge Fire's mapped perimeter as of September 11, 2024
Refer to caption
Refer to caption
The general location of the fire in Greater Los Angeles
Refer to caption
Refer to caption
General location of the fire in California

The Bridge Fire is an active wildfire in the Angeles National Forest, currently burning in Southern California's Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. The fire began on September 8. As of September 11, 2024, the fire had burned 47,904 acres (19,386 hectares) and is zero percent contained. The cause of the fire is not yet known. It is the third-largest wildfire of California's 2024 fire season.

Background

The Bridge Fire is burning in an area with little to no recent fire history. As a consequence, there is a large amount of brush in the area. Additionally, during the first three days of the fire, there was a Red Flag Warning in place due to high winds and low humidity, causing rapid growth.[citation needed]

Two prior wet winters contributed to the growth of vegetation in the fire area. Weather conditions, including gusty southwest winds and low relative humidity, allowed for rapid fire growth.[1]

The Bridge Fire is burning simultaneously with the 34,000-acre (14,000 ha) Line Fire in San Bernardino County and the 22,000-acre (8,900 ha) Airport Fire in Orange and Riverside Counties.[2] The three concurrent wildfires have strained the capacities of Southern California fire agencies, leading them to request additional resources from Northern California and other states.[3][4] Nationally, the National Interagency Fire Center raised the

Progression

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) records the Bridge Fire as having started at 2:12 p.m. PDT on Sunday, September 8, 2024.[5] The cause of the fire is under investigation.[3] It ignited in the vicinity of East Fork Road and Glendora Mountain Road,[6] near Cattle Canyon Bridge,[7] in San Gabriel Canyon. It grew to 800 acres (320 ha) by early Sunday evening.[6] Evacuation orders were issued for Camp Williams and River Community, communities located in the East Fork San Gabriel River canyon.[8]

In the morning on Monday, September 9, the fire had burned 1,255 acres (508 ha).[7] At 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 9, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for Mount Baldy Village, extending between the San Antonio Dam and Mount Baldy Resort. By that night, the fire had burned 2,995 acres (1,212 ha). Firefighters were concentrated on halting any southward progression of the fire, and protecting homes in the East Fork San Gabriel River area.[9]

On Tuesday, September 10, the fire "exploded" to the north and northeast and grew considerably, from about 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) to more than 34,000 acres (14,000 ha), within a matter of hours.[10] It continued to grow overnight, burning an additional 13,000 acres (5,300 ha) on its northern and eastern flanks as firefighters prioritized protecting buildings in Wrightwood, Piñon Hills, and Mount Baldy Village.[11]

By Wednesday, September 11, 480 firefighting personnel were assigned to the Bridge Fire.[8]

As of September 11, 2024, the fire has burned 47,904 acres (19,386 ha) and is zero percent contained.[5] It is the third-largest wildfire of 2024 in California.[2]

Effects

The state of California requested a Fire Management Assistance Grant—which allows the federal government to cover a certain percentage of eligible firefighting costs—from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on September 10; FEMA granted the request at 9:18 p.m.[12] Los Angeles County supervisor Lindsey Horvath signed a declaration of a local emergency.[8]

The fire has prompted evacuation orders for the communities of Camp Williams, River Community, Wrightwood, and Mount Baldy.[6][13]

The Bridge Fire has destroyed at least 39 buildings: 20 homes were lost in Mount Baldy Village, 13 homes were lost in Wrightwood, and six cabins burned in the mountain wilderness. The fire also burned ski lifts at the Mountain High ski resort, but staff there used snowmaking machines to wet down nearby vegetation and the resort itself "[appeared] to be mostly unharmed by fire", according to CBS News.[8]

No deaths or significant injuries have been reported.[8]

Growth and containment table

Fire containment status
Gray: contained; Red: active; %: percent contained
Date Total area burned Personnel Containment
Sep 8[14] 800 acres (3 km2) ...
0%
Sep 9[15] 2,995 acres (12 km2) 250
0%
Sep 10[16] 34,240 acres (139 km2) 471
0%
Sep 11[17] 47,904 acres (194 km2) 471
0%

See also

References

  1. ^ Fry, Hannah; Ferazzi, Gina; Ahn, Ashley; Lin, Summer (September 11, 2024). "SoCal mountain communities under siege, homes burn as massive fires explode". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Wenzke, Marissa; Fioresi, Dean; Rodriguez, Matthew; Salem, Iris (September 11, 2024). "Line Fire in Southern California scorches more than 34,000 acres as thousands flee their homes". CBS News. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Graff, Amy (September 11, 2024). "Three raging wildfires bring devastation to Southern California". SFGate. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  4. ^ Jeong, Helen (2024-09-11). "Bridge Fire in Angeles National Forest becomes 8 times bigger". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  5. ^ a b "Bridge Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Fioresi, Dean (September 10, 2024). "Bridge Fire in California's Angeles National Forest grows to 3,000 acres, evacuations and road closures in place". CBS News. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Gonzales, Ruby; Klick, Andrea (September 9, 2024). "Baldy Village ordered evacuated as Bridge fire burns in Angeles National Forest". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e Sharp, Julie (September 11, 2024). "California's Bridge Fire destroys 33 homes after exploding overnight". CBS News. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  9. ^ Fry, Hannah; Lin, Summer; Serna, Joseph (September 9, 2024). "Skies above Southern California wildfire looked like 'a nuclear warhead had been set off'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  10. ^ Sharp, Julie (September 11, 2024). "California's Bridge Fire explodes overnight, spanning 2 counties, Wrightwood community evacuated". CBS News. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  11. ^ "Bridge Fire Morning Update 09-11-2024". InciWeb. September 11, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  12. ^ "FEMA Fire Management Assistance Granted for the Bridge Fire". FEMA.gov. September 11, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  13. ^ Gonzalez, Ruby (September 10, 2024). "Evacuation ordered in Wrightwood as Bridge fire continues to burn in the Angeles National Forest". The Orange County Register. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  14. ^ DuBose, Josh (September 8, 2024). "Bridge Fire in San Gabriel Canyon prompts road closures, evacuations". KTLA. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  15. ^ "Bridge Fire Evening Update, 09-09-24". InciWeb. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  16. ^ "Sept 10, Bridge Fire Evening Update". InciWeb. September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  17. ^ "Bridge Fire: Incident Overview". InciWeb. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
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