Oct 5, 2009 2:12 pm US/Pacific
Mild Winds Aid Fire Crews In 7,500-Acre Sheep Fire
All Residents In Wrightwood Under Mandatory Evacuation Orders
WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (CBS) ―
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The Sheep Fire is being driven by gusty, cold winds and is threatening 300 homes in San Bernardino County.
CBS
Firefighters expected mild winds and low temperatures forecast for Monday to help them make significant progress against a wildfire burning near a popular resort town in Southern California.
Crews maintained fire lines that kept the blaze from entering the town of Wrightwood, which remained under mandatory evacuation, San Bernardino National Forest spokeswoman Robin Prince said.
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The fire had burned at least 7,500 acres, or nearly 12 square miles, by Monday morning and was 20 percent contained. But Prince said she expected that number to grow throughout the day.
"They'll get some more containment today as long as winds stay low as they are predicted to do," she said. "We should get a lot done today."
Winds have reached 50 mph since the fire broke out Saturday in the San Gabriel Mountain community of Lytle Creek, but were down to 19 mph early Monday and were forecast to dip as low as 5 mph.
Temperatures were forecast to stay below 58 degrees. The fire had destroyed three homes in remote canyons but firefighters had kept it from encroaching into Wrightwood. Between 4,000 to 6,000 residents were ordered to evacuate.
Wrightwood remained under a mandatory evacuation order, with 4,000 to 6,000 residents ordered to leave their homes. All residents north and south of Highway 138 from the I-15 west to Hess Road were also evacuated. Those on Lone Pine Canyon Road, Swarthout Canyon Road, east Lytle Creek Road to North Mountain Lakes RV Park, the community of Applewhite and the Applewhite Camp Grounds were also under mandatory evacuation orders.
Residents with proper identification were being allowed to re-enter Lytle Creek Road.
Evacuation centers had been opened for people, large animals, such as horses, and smaller animals, such as dogs and cats.
People were being housed at Eisenhower High School in nearby Rialto as well as the San Bernardino County fairgrounds in Victorville, where horses, large and small animals were also being accepted. Large animals were also being accepted at the San Manuel Amphitheatre. Smaller animals were being taken to the San Bernardino County Animal Shelter.
The Glen Helen Regional Park rodeo ground, which was previously taking in large animals, was full.
The Snowline Joint Unified School District announced that its 10 area schools would remain closed Monday due to the fire.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, freeing up state resources to battle the fire.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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