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Tag: san bernardino county wildfire

  • Line fire flare-up tips California over a grim milestone: 1 million acres burned in 2024

    Line fire flare-up tips California over a grim milestone: 1 million acres burned in 2024

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    The flare-up of the Line fire worsened Monday as evacuation orders expanded and firefighters lost some ground on containment of the San Bernardino County wildfire.

    The new acres charred also pushed California across a grim milestone: 1 million acres burned in 2024.

    The Line fire, which has been burning in San Bernardino County for almost a month, began spreading faster over the weekend due to abnormally warm temperatures that sucked moisture from vegetation and the air, according to Cal Fire. Containment of the fire slipped from 83% to 78% as of late Monday.

    “Firefighters had expected some movement” of the fire, but its behavior “exceeded expectations,” said Cal Fire in a Monday update.

    The Red Cross opened a new evacuation shelter at Apple Valley Conference Center on Monday to support those affected by the Line fire, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The center is at 14975 Dale Evans Parkway. The evacuation shelter at Redlands East Valley High School, 31000 E. Colton Ave., remained open.

    The Line fire has now burned a total of 43,459 acres — which along with previous fires, including the ongoing Bridge and Airport fires — has pushed the total acres burned in California this year to 1,000,181 as of late Monday, according to Cal Fire.

    This surpasses by far the total acres burned during the same time period last year — 293,362 — but is roughly on par with the five-year average for the period.

    The devastating Park fire in Northern California contributed significantly to the milestone, burning almost 430,000 acres between July 24 and Sept. 26 when it reached full containment. It is the fourth-largest fire in California history, according to Cal Fire.

    So far this fire season, a total of 1,433 structures have been destroyed, and one fatality has been reported, the agency said.

    The Line fire has damaged or destroyed five structures and resulted in four firefighter injuries. The suspected arson fire started on Sept. 5, and an arrest has been made.

    On Sunday, residents in Seven Oaks and the Barton Flats area were ordered to evacuate because of the immediate threat of the fire. On Monday this order was expanded to include Angelus Oaks and the community of Big Bear Lake, including Moonridge, Sugarloaf and south Erwin Lake.

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    Clara Harter

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  • Upland company created the sparks that set off the raging 2021 South fire, federal suit alleges

    Upland company created the sparks that set off the raging 2021 South fire, federal suit alleges

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    A San Bernardino County wildfire that spanned 680 acres and took 275 firefighting personnel eight days to contain began with a few sparks from an excavator.

    That’s what the federal government is claiming in a complaint filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

    The government is suing an Upland-based pipeline contracting company and its founder, Garrett John Gentry, for negligence and is seeking more than $2.2 million in damages in the fire, which chewed through 450 acres of the San Bernardino National Forest.

    “Defendants are liable for all damages to the United States resulting from the South Fire, including its fire suppression costs and the United States’ administrative, investigative, accounting, and collection costs,” the government says in the lawsuit.

    A call to Garrett J. Gentry Engineering was not immediately returned. The 14-year-old company serves California and Arizona and clears $35 million in revenue annually.

    The South fire commenced on Aug. 25, 2021, and was eventually contained on Sept. 2, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

    The agency said nine structures — residential and commercial — were destroyed and 28 others were damaged. There were no injuries or fatalities.

    According to Cal Fire, the fire began north of Glen Helen Parkway and east of Sierra Avenue and Lytle Creek Road just west of the 15 Freeway. The lawsuit alleges the fire originated at a property at 4053 Lytle Creek Road in Fontana.

    There, the suit says, Gentry was operating an excavator, attempting to determine the viability of developing a commercial property at an underdeveloped site.

    The government said Gentry, the owner, realized he was on terrain that was too rocky and tried to leave the area. During his retreat, he noticed smoke behind him. He attempted but failed to suppress a fire that eventually kick-started the eight-day blaze, the lawsuit alleges.

    Government investigators said the steel treads of the excavator struck rock and caused ignition. Nearby dry vegetation then served as fuel to propel the fire.

    The government alleges that Gentry knew the area was rocky and “failed to exercise reasonable care,” according to the lawsuit.

    Gentry and his company also failed to take action to prevent the fire, the lawsuit alleges.

    The United States is asking for a jury trial.

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    Andrew J. Campa

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