Trails are blazing and not the way you want them to be. The cosmos were far from aligned when a dangerous brush fire engulfed 400 acres in Fontana, California in recent weeks but it only continues. According to reports, the previous fire that hit the Sierra and Jurupa intersection was only the beginning.
Although no injuries were reported it took firefighters a while to get a handle on the situation. The fire, now called the ‘Sierra Fire’ broke out at about 3:30 p.m. and by the evening flared up.
Lighting It Up
In just thirty minutes it spread from merely one acre to 40. By 6:30 p.m. the fire spread to 350 acres, but have we learned nothing? As of this week, fire strikes again this time north of Fontana in Lytle Creek. The fire engulfed more than 2,300 acres and according to the United States Forest Service as of July 10th, there was 0% containment.
At the advisement of the county, residents were instructed to stay at home and not open their windows, some having to evacuate immediately.
Damaged Goods
Several homes were unavoidably damaged, including a boat house, in the string of chaos and the spread of such fires from week to week.
Southern California is constantly under fire as Central Valley fires continue to burn and expand across communities. Previously Mt. Baldy Resort was evacuated a few days prior as an additional Vista fire imploded.
Structures Are Threatened
About 149 structures are threatened by this and numbers only continue to grow if not treated and prevented more efficiently. As a result of the fire, Lytle Creek Road at the entrance of Glen Helen Parkway was accessible only to residents.
Such Vista Fire grew bigger and bigger from when it started in the evening of July 9th and into the coming days as recently as yesterday. It is reported that the conditions leading up to the fires are a direct result of the area’s hot and dry climate.
Fighting the Good Fight
Quick reaction forces as of July 9th including two helicopters poured an estimate of 60,000 gallons of water in attempts to cool down the area and assist firefighters to contain the flames.
The primary growth of the fire occurred along the southeastern border while in the Stockton flats along the northwestern side, the fire was contained.
Concerned Residents Are Shaken
Communities are shaken by the recent uproar and the flames and we don’t blame them. As countless homes and families are affected and threatened, now more than ever, new preemptive measures need to take place sooner than later.
Live updates are underway as firefighters and law enforcement slowly attempt to get a handle on the situation. The end of this is not yet in sight despite the three-day battle. Although far from the clear there is hope that a solution, at least a temporary, one is in the works.
Firefights on the Frontlines
Officials of the San Bernardino National Forest reported Tuesday morning that the Vista Fire already affected 1,095 acres and counting. Ben Brissey a Big Bear-based Chief Meteorologist was quoted as saying that the firefighters were making good go of it with many additional firefighting tools and resources.
All across the majority of Southern California visible drift smoke can be seen all the way to the northeast and into the high desert and mountains of San Bernardino.
