News & Columns > News Team > Ridge Fire 15 Percent Contained (Update 8)

Ridge Fire 15 Percent Contained (Update 8)

By News Team
Thursday, July 3, 2008

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Update 8 – Thursday 8:40 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA – InciWeb (Incident Information System) is now reporting the Ridge Fire is 15 percent contained with approximately 250 acres involved in the wildfire that began at about 1:34 p.m. Thursday two miles northeast of Yucaipa. The site states the cause of the blaze is under investigation.

About 400 fire personnel are battling the blaze with one firefighter transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center suffering from apparent heat exhaustion. Temperatures in the area of the fire were reported to be around 100 degrees when the firefighter was removed by ambulance from the fire line.

View of the Ridge Fire from Keller Peak (Photo by Harvey.)

Scanner traffic from the incident indicates officials would like helicopters in the air by 7 a.m. Friday to hit hot spots. Type 3 engines were being released late Thursday and no air tankers were ordered for the Fourth of July.

Officials estimate containment of the fire will be tomorrow at approximately 8 p.m. Firefighters observed uphill runs and a lateral spread in a steep terrain. They will continue to build line around the fire and begin the task of mopping up.

Update 7 — Thursday 7:14 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA — The Ridge Fire near Yucaipa is reportedly looking good, according to scanner reports from the fire line. One commander told dispatch there was "no forward rate of spread right at the moment."

However, the fire has what is described as "a pretty good wind" 10-25 miles per hour from the west and is burning in heavy chaparral with limited access.

Forest Service spokesperson John Miller told RIMOFTHEWORLD.net the fire was holding at about 250 acres with six fixed wing tankers and three helicopters (including a Type 1 from Camp Pendleton) assisting ground forces.

(Photo by AOakie LBK.)

Miller confirmed that one Forest Service firefighter was transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center suffering from heat exhaustion.

(Photo by AOakie LBK.)

Update 6 — Thursday 5:40 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA — RIMOFTHEWORLD.net's Dave Henderson reports from the Ridge Fire that the fire is still roughly 250 acres and that numerous aircraft are on scene assisting ground personnel.

"I spoke to Bob Poole from the Forest Service," Henderson stated, "and he explained crews are trying to hold the fire at the top of the ridge. It looks like it's gone over a bit but nothing critical at this point."

Ridge Fire as seen from Bryant and Fir Street in Yucaipa. Retardant on the mountainside can be seen in upper left hand portion of photo. (Photo by Deb Nelson.)

Firefighters report the fire is holding at around 250 acres with not much movement and that tankers continue to put in a retardant line.

A Type 1 helicopter from Camp Pendleton is also on its way to the incident.

Ridge Fire as seen from Bryant and Fir Street in Yucaipa. (Photo by Deb Nelson.)

Update 5 — Thursday 5:13 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA — KNBC Channel 4 is now reporting that the fire may have been started accidentally by a homeowner doing brush clearance with a tractor in the area of Yucaipa Ridge Road.

RIMOFTHEWORLD.net's Scott Straley is covering the fire from Yucaipa and reports that earlier the 250-plus acre fire had a large plume of drift smoke trailing to the north to the Big Bear area and ash was falling along Highway 38.

Smoke looms behind Yucaipa Ridge to the south of Mountain Home Village as a firefighting plane continues the fight. (Photo by Scott Straley.)

Incident commanders are still concerned about three scattered ranches that are possibly in the path of the fire.

One homeowner was reported as saying: "I can see the flames and air support dropping retardant from a residence on Fire Street in Yucaipa."

Ridge fire from Mountain Home Village taken at 4:30pm 07/03/08 (Photo by Jason Mandly.)

Update 4 — Thursday 4:01 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA — The fire in the Yucaipa Ridge area of Yucaipa has now grown to over 250 acres.

Wind in the area is 10-25 miles per hour out of the west, according to scanner transmissions.

Update 3 — Thursday 3:28 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA — Firefighters now report the Ridge Fire how grown to over 130 acres and is being fought by ground and aerial crews with smoke and ash drifting into nearby communities.

A water-dropping helicopter along with a structure protection group and hand crews ascend Yucaipa Ridge Road to a pair of homes in the foothills. (Photo by Scott Straley.)

"Highway 38 is still open," according to John Miller from the US Forest Service. "We have both fixed wing and helicopters assisting ground crews at this time.

"More aircraft are on order," Miller told RIMOFTHEWORLD.net.

One Forest Service firefighter is being treated for heat exhaustion, according to scanner reports. Latest report indicate the firefighter is being transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Update 2 — Thursday 2:34 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA — A well established fire in the Yucaipa Ridge area of Yucaipa has now grown to over 100 acres. The nearest home is about a quarter of a mile from the fire.

Scanner traffic reports only two air tankers are currently available to assist ground crews.

Smoke in the Big Bear area near Snow Summit is reported by an eyewitness as being brownish and starting to blow over the lake. Ash is reportedly now falling in Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City.

Ridge Fire as seen from SR330 at 1N09 Shooting Range. (Photo by VickiW.)

Update — Thursday 2:05 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA — A well established fire in the Yucaipa Ridge area of Yucaipa is sending smoke to parts of Mountain Home Village and two homes in the Yucaipa Ridge Road area are threatened.

A second alarm has just been sounded as San Bernardino County firefighters are establishing structure protection for two homes on Yucaipa Ridge Road.

Two air tankers are on their way to the blaze with four more on order, according to scanner reports. Firefighters have ordered 12 crews, 6 strike teams, and 3 structure protection groups.

Smoke from the fire is now visible in the Big Bear area but authorities do not report an immediate threat to Big Bear Valley.

Original Story — Thursday, 1:55 p.m.

Yucaipa, CA — A well established fire in the Yucaipa Ridge area of Yucaipa is sending smoke to parts of Mountain Home Village.

Tankers have been ordered and 40-King has been requested from Rialto to make helicopter drops.

Additional details will be announced shortly for the blaze that broke out about 1:35 this afternoon.