News & Columns > News Team > Sheep Fire Now 75 Percent Contained (Update)

Sheep Fire Now 75 Percent Contained (Update)

Wrightwood No Longer A Ghost Town

By News Team
Wednesday, October 7, 2009

View Alert

Update - Wednesday 4:15 a.m.

Wrightwood, CA - Residents of Wrightwood have returned home as fire officials have announced the Sheep Fire is now 75% contained.

A ghost Halloween decoration welcomed residents back to Wrightwood neighborhoods yesterday. Businesses reopened along with schools. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Businesses in Wrightwood are open and the community is no longer a virtual ghost town.

The fire operations for the 7,128 acre blaze are no longer under a unified command with the U.S. Forest Service taking charge of the blaze that has already cost $5.5 million to suppress.

Full containment of the Sheep Fire has been pushed back to Saturday, October 10, due to accessing difficult terrain on the southwestern edge of the fire.

Update - Tuesday 1:15 p.m.

Wrightwood, CA - The welcome to Wrightwood sign will serve as an "official" greeting as residents return to the resort community. The mandatory evacuation order has been lifted.

The Wrightwood sign will welcome visitors to the community once the Sheep Fire is contained. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Residents are not required to show proof of residency as they return to the homes that were saved from the Sheep Fire by firefighters.

Meanwhile, Caltrans has reopened Highway 2 in San Bernardino County between Highway 138 and the Los Angeles County line.

Lone Pine Canyon Road at Highway 138 will remain closed and Swarthout Canyon Road at Cajon Boulevard will also remain closed.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department reminds residents to be on the alert as fire crews and equipment are still on roadways in Wrightwood.

Update - Tuesday 11:20 a.m.

Mandatory Evacuations will be lifted for Wrightwood residents today and Noon.

Update - Tuesday 9:39 a.m.

Wrightwood, CA - Fire officials report the Sheep Fire is now 32 percent contained. Wrightwood residents are still under a mandatory evacuation order. However, that evacuation order will be reassessed during a meeting at noon today.

Structure protection not only includes homes and businesses but out buildings as well. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

All schools in the Snowline School District are closed today, October 6.

U.S. Forest Service Public Information Officer (PIO) John Miller provides a press briefing. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Forest Services spokesman John Miller reports the fire has now consumed 7,824 acres and has cost $3.8 million dollars, to date.

Miller reports five (5) structures have burned and that full containment isn't expected until Thursday, October 8.

Sections of Highway 2 remain closed. Lytle Creek Road is open for residents only. Lone Pine Canyon Road is closed.

Update - Monday 3:50 p.m.

Wrightwood, CA - The Sheep Fire is now reported to be 20 percent contained with Wrightwood residents still under a mandatory evacuation order.

Caltrans has announced Highway 138 is now open in both directions. Highway 2 remains closed from Highway 138 to La Canada/Flintridge and

Numerous helitankers and fixed wing air tankers have been dropping water and retardant on the fire. Back fires have been set to protect homes at the eastern edge of Wrightwood.

Update - Monday 8:25 a.m.

Wrightwood, CA - Caltrans has announced the following highway closure information due to the Sheep Fire.

Highway 138 from I-15 to Highway 18 and Highway 2 from Highway 138 to La Canada Flintridge will remain closed until further notice due to the Sheep Fire, according to spokesperson Terri Kasigna.

Update - Monday 4:25 a.m.

Wrightwood, CA - The Sheep Fire has now blackened 7,500 acres and Wrightwood residents are still under a mandatory evacuation order.

The Sheep Fire has grown to 7,500 acres. (Photo by RobH.)

Strike teams are providing structure protection while other firefighters have been setting backfires to keep the wind-driven fire from reaching the mountain community.

All schools in the Snowline School District are closed today, October 5.

Over 900 firefighters are now involved in the Sheep Fire and yesterday they were assisted by water-dropping helicopters and the DC-10 supertanker.

While officials are expressing "guarded optimism," they explained to two community meetings last night in Lytle Creek and Victorville that the fire behavior remains extreme.

Fire crews will continue to construct fire lines today to protect Wrightwood homes that are now about a quarter-mile from the actual fire, according to officials.

U.S. Forest Service spokesperson John Miller told RIMOFTHEWORLD.net that the firefighter who suffered a heat related problem on Saturday has returned to work.

Update - Sunday 2:20 p.m.

"Guarded optimism" is the word from fire officials. The fire behavior overnight was extreme and as Public Information Officer Jim Wilkins said, "In 35 years in the fire service, I have never seen fire behavior like this."

The Sheep Fire has burned over 3,500 acres and came close to Wrightwood on Sunday. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Fire crews called for the emergency evacuations of the east half of Wrightwood at about 1:45 a.m. Sunday and the Sheriff's office started going door-to-door warning residents.

At around 9:45 a.m., a mandatory evacuation for all of Wrightwood was announced.

Two firefighters watch the fire from a roof in Wrightwood prepared to help provide structure protection. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

The gallant efforts of fire crews managed to stop the fire about one-half mile short of the town's eastern edge at this time. Gel structure protection teams have been in active structure protection mode since the evacuation began. No homes have been lost in Wrightwood at this time according to Wilkins.

With a drop in the winds and increased relative humidity, the fire has laid down. The air attack has begun again and tankers and helicopters are hitting the fire with all available resources.

Mountain High Ski Resort is allowing air tankers to dip from their snow making reservoirs to fight the fire.

All schools in the Snowline School District will be closed on Monday, October 5, 2009. An information kiosk has been established at the Stater Brothers in Phelan.

A community meeting will be held at the Lytle Creek Community Center (Building 1) for residents tonight at 8:00 pm to learn more about the firefighting efforts. Address: 14082 Center Road, Lytle Creek, CA

Update - Sunday 10 a.m.

Wrightwood, CA - Wrightwood is now under a mandatory evacuation order. The evacuation route is Highway 2 out of the canyon. The evacuation center is the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, 14800 Seventh Street, Victorville.

Pine Canyon Road Near Clyde's Ranch (Photo by Dan Elliott.)

The following information is posted on the San Bernardino County Disaster Information Website:

The Sheep Fire started in the Lytle Creek area on Oct. 3, 2009. Please see below for updated information on the Sheep Fire.

MANDATORY evacuation is ordered for ALL AREAS OF WRIGHTWOOD.

In addition to ALL AREAS OF Wrightwood, the existing mandatory evacuations are still in place for:

• Applewhite Campground in Lytle Creek
• Happy Jack area of Lytle Creek
• Swarthout Canyon Rd area of Lone Pine Canyon
• Both sides of State Route 138 from Interstate 15 to Hess Road

Road Closures:

• Lytle Creek Rd is closed north of Sierra Ave
• Lone Pine Canyon Rd is closed at State Route 138
• State Route 138 is closed from I-15 to State Route 2.

(Red Cross) Human Shelters:

• Eisenhower High School at 1321 N. Lilac at Baseline, Rialto, CA in the multi-purpose room.
• Victorville Fairgrounds, 14800 Seventh Street, Victorville, CA

Animal Shelters: LARGE Animal Evacuation Center is set up at the Victorville Fairgrounds. Small animals are being accepted at the Devore Animal Shelter.

For more information, call the US Forest Service line at (909) 383-5688.

Fire is under Unified Command with the U.S. Forest Service, San Bernardino County Fire Department and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Recorded updates at San Bernardino County Fire Department Incident Information line (909) 355-8800

San Bernardino County Animal Control 1-800 472-5609

Update - Sunday 6 a.m.

Wrightwood, CA - The Sheep Fire, according to fire officials, doubled overnight to 3,500 acres and is now threatening homes in the Wrightwood area.

Pine Canyon Road Near Clyde's Ranch (Photo by Dan Elliott.)

New mandatory evacuations are now in place in Wrightwood for the areas east of Heath Canyon and west of Heath Canyon between Lone Canyon Road and Highway 2.

Three homes have been confirmed destroyed in the Swarthout Canyon area.

Sections of Highway 138 and Highway 2 remain closed this morning, according to Caltrans.

Over 1,000 personnel are now on the Sheep Fire with an order for aerial support already placed for today. Windy gusts in the area of the fire may reduce the availability of some air support planes.

The cause of the Sheep Fire is under investigation. One firefighter reportedly suffered a heat-related injury late yesterday as he was helping evacuate people from Swarthout Canyon.

An evacuation Center is located at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville. One is also operational at Eisenhower High School in Rialto. Large and small animals can now be taken to the fairgrounds.

The Forest Service is in unified command with San Bernardino County Fire and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Update - Sunday 3:15 a.m.

Residents are directed to exit town using the Jackson Lake route. CERT teams have been activated.

Update - Sunday 2:45 a.m.

Evacuate all areas east of Heath Creek Dr. in Wrightwood. The remainder of Wrightwood should be prepared to evacuate at anytime. Reverse 911 calls are underway.

Update - Sunday 2:15 a.m.

Mandatory Evacuations have been ordered for the east side of Wrightwood. Gel structure protection teams are staging for active an assault.

Update- Sunday 1:45 a.m.

According to scanner reports the residents of Wrightwood should prepare for evacuations. The Fire is nearing Clyde's Ranch at this time.

Structure Protection groups are forming on the east side of Wrightwood.

Update- Saturday 11:40 p.m.

Public Information Officer Jim Wilkins was not able to confirm the loss of structures from his vantage point, however several news agencies are reporting the loss of up to three structures in the Sheep fire.

Pine Canyon Road Near Clyde's Ranch (Photo by Dan Elliott.)

According to fire officials, the fire is making a run to the north and east and is burning in old growth fuel that has not burned since the 1940s. Jim Wilkins said the next few hours will be critical and the fire activity is expected to be heavy tomorrow as the wind and heat pick back up.

Fire crews are engaged in active structure protection.

Winds are out of the west. Currently there is not threat to Wrightwood.

Update- Saturday 10:05 p.m.

Some sources are reporting that structures have been lost in the area of Swarthout Canyon and Sheep Canyon Road. RIMOFTHEWORLD.net has not been able to confirm this information with fire personnel.

Update - Saturday 9:46 p.m.

Lytle Creek, CA - The Sheep Creek Fire is burning between Lytle Creek Canyon and Lone Pine Canyon Road. The latest information shows the fire has burned 1,500 acres and is five (5) percent contained.

Incident Commander Randy Unkovich reports the lower part of the fire is working its way down toward the structures. Large fire growth and short range spotting has been occurring.

Mandatory evacuations are in place for the following areas in Lytle Creek: Applewhite, Happy Jack, areas east of Lytle Creek up to and including Mountain Lakes RV Park. Mandatory evacuations are also in place for Swarthout Canyon and areas along Highway 138 between I-15 and Hess Road.

An evacuation center is located at Eisenhower High School in Rialto.

Update - 6:31 p.m.

Lytle Creek, CA — The fire has crossed Lone Pine Canyon Road to the east of Wrightwood, forcing the relocation of the Incident Command Center from the Mormon Rocks Fire Station. There is no containment on the fire, and additional evacuations in the rural mountainous areas of the Cajon Pass communities are possible.

No evacuation centers have been established for the roughly 100 displaced residents. But, large animals, such as horses, llamas, and emus, can be evacuated to the Glen Helen Regional Park Rodeo Grounds at 2555 Glen Helen Parkway in Devore.

Approximate Evacuation Area

Update - 6:00 p.m.

Lytle Creek, CA — Mandatory evacuations have been extended to all areas south of Highway 138, west of Interstate 15, and east of Hess Road in the Cajon Canyon area of Phelan. The size of the fire varies from 1,000 acres to 1,600 acres. The closure on Highway 138 has been extended to Highway 2.

As of 5:59 p.m., the fire has reportedly jumped to the north of Lone Pine Canyon Road.

(Photo by Beverlee Spencer.)

Update - 5:43 p.m.

Lytle Creek, CA — According to fire officials, the Sheep Creek Fire has consumed nearly 1,600 acres of the San Bernardino National Forest near Lytle Creek, but its forward spread has "slowed down quite a bit."

At 5:26 p.m., the massive DC-10 fire-fighting aircraft began laying down retardant in Swarthout Canyon. The fire is burning to the west of Interstate 15. The freeway remains open. However, State Route 138 is closed to the west of Interstate 15 along with Lone Pine Canyon Road between Wrightwood and State Route 138 and Lytle Creek Rd is closed north of Sierra Ave.

Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for the Applewhite Campground in Lytle Creek and the Swarthout Canyon Rd area of Lone Pine Canyon.

Update - 4:38 p.m.

Lytle Creek, CA — A rapid moving wild fire has forced evacuations of the Lytle Creek area and has shut down Highway 138 just west of Interstate 15. Initially a request was made to close the highway between Highway 2 and Interstate 15, however that request has been rescinded.

At last report, the blaze was over 400 acres and fire crews are struggling to contain the fire in heavy brush. It is currently burning in a northerly direction.

Scanner reports also indicate that a traffic on the north south rail line through the Cajon Pass was to be halted.

Additional tanker assets have been requested including the DC-10 tanker.

(Original Story)

Lytle Creek, CA - A rapid moving wild fire in Lytle Creek at Sheep Canyon Road has fire crews and air tankers calling for evacuations of Swarthout Canyon to the Chinese camp.

Sheep Creek smoke column from Running Springs (Photo by Jessica Smith.)

The second alarm fire is rapidly moving in rough terrain and moderate fuels and is reported to be about 30 acres. Four air tankers are on order including the Mars Super Scooper tankers.

More information to follow.

Map is approximate.