Bridge Fire Now 99% Contained, Still Producing Visible Smoke
Firefighters continue to work on the nearly month-old Bridge Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, which was 99% contained Saturday after burning 54,878 acres.
The fire, which burned in both San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, has destroyed 81 structures and damaged another 17, and caused eight injuries.
"Smoke from an interior, isolated portion of the fire is putting up smoke that is visible from both sides of the San Gabriel mountains. It's in an area near Pine Mountain, north of Mt. Baldy and south of Wrightwood," the Angeles National Forest said Saturday in a social media post.
"NO threat to containment lines, nor mountain communities," the post added.
The blaze began at 2:12 p.m. 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:
— Eastbound Big Pines Highway at Largo Vista Road (residents only);
— state Route 2 at Flume Canyon Road westbound;
— Glendora Mountain Road north of Big Dalton Canyon Road; and
— Glendora Ridge Road from Mt. Baldy to Glendora Mountain Road.
There were 78 personnel assigned to the fire as of Saturday.
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 cause of the fire has not been determined.
The Bridge Fire is one of three large wildfires burning in Southern California. The Airport Fire in Orange and Riverside counties had burned 23,526 acres and was 98% contained Saturday, while the Line Fire in San Bernardino County has burned 43,965 acres and was 79% contained.
