The Bridge Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is 65% contained Saturday as the lingering inversion limited fire spread by keeping a lid over the blaze, depriving it of wind and heat, authorities said.
The fire in the Sheep Mountain Wilderness was 53% contained earlier Friday, according to the Angeles National Forest. It has burned 54,795 acres and is threatening 4,409 structures. It has destroyed 81 structures and damaged 17 others, officials said.
“Crews worked to keep the fire within its current footprint, strengthen containment lines, and secure areas with concentrated heat on the northwest flank southeast of Jackson Lake,” officials said in a statement released Friday night. “Still, burning material that could roll out over containment lines remains a hazard in that area.”
The favorable weather conditions Friday allowed crews to maintain Thursday night’s containment gains above Vincent Gap and prevent spread toward Mile High and Paradise Springs, officials said.
“On the east flank, crews continued to halt the fire’s spread into the drainages northwest of Lytle Creek, adding additional containment line to the map on and around Dawson Peak,” officials said.
“On the south and west flanks, crews gained additional ground by completing secondary containment lines and prepared to focus on suppression repair of these lines in the coming days.”
Tree felling crews and additional firefighting personnel continued removing fire-weakened trees Friday, as well as mopping up and patrolling in recently repopulated communities, officials said.
The evacuation warning for Baldy Village, from the dam north to the ski resort and San Antonio Canyon to the east, was lifted Friday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported. The evacuation warning for Wrightwood has also been lifted while Bear Canyon remains under an evacuation warning.
The blaze began at 2:12 p.m. on Sept. 8 near East Fork and Glendora Mountain roads, according to forest officials. The fire initially remained relatively small, but exploded in size at the tail end of an extended heat wave on Sept. 10, destroying dozens of structures as it marched into San Bernardino County.
It is the largest active fire in the state.
Road closures were in effect at the following locations:
— Big Pines Highway;
— Big Rock Creek Road;
— Largo Vista Road;
— Mescal Creek Road;
— Panorama Motorway;
— State Route 39 at the base of San Gabriel Canyon;
— Glendora Mountain Road north of Big Dalton Road;
— Westbound state Route 2 at Flume Canyon Road.
There were 1,910 personnel assigned to the fire on Friday, including 63 hand crews, along with 120 engines, 17 water tenders, 15 helicopters and 31 dozers.
Five firefighters have been injured battling the blaze, officials said. There were no civilian injuries reported.
The fire was being battled in a unified command consisting of Cal Fire San Bernardino, the Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County Fire Department and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
The Bridge Fire was one of three large wildfires burning in Southern California, along with the Line Fire in San Bernardino County and the Airport Fire in Riverside and Orange counties.
The cause has not been determined.