A wildfire that started on Tuesday afternoon north of the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California had exploded to more than 4,200 acres by Wednesday morning, driven by high winds and dry conditions, officials said. It had prompted evacuation orders and was threatening multiple properties, officials said.
The vegetation fire was threatening multiple buildings in and around Apple Valley, a town of about 75,000 people about 60 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Firefighters were battling to contain the blaze, which was zero percent contained Wednesday morning.
The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation order for an area about four miles wide on the edge of the town, warning of an extreme threat to life. A number of single-story homes and some ranches appeared to be within the evacuation zone.
Strong winds, low humidity and a dry landscape had accelerated the spread of the fire, said Chloe Castillo, a Cal Fire spokeswoman. “There’s a lot of desert brush that’s out there that it’s making its way through,” she said.
Conditions remained critical on Wednesday, Cal Fire said in an update, and firefighters were focusing on protecting structures and making a containment line. Low humidity and winds with afternoon gusts of up to 25 miles per hour were expected on Wednesday, the update said.
“Residents near the fire area should remain prepared for potential evacuations,” it said. “Keep phones charged and emergency kits ready.”
The winds had dropped drastically on Tuesday night, giving firefighters a reprieve, Ms. Castillo said, but the humidity would not increase enough overnight to give firefighters a significant advantage. Water bombing aircraft would be deployed on Wednesday morning, she added.
The fire broke out at about 2:30 p.m., according to Cal Fire, and its cause was under investigation.
Isabella Kwai contributed reporting.