South Fire: Day #1 Evening Update
Fontana – At 1:30pm this afternoon, San Bernardino County Fire received numerous reports of a vegetation fire beginning along Lytle Creek Road approximately one mile north of Duncan Canyon Road.
Firefighters arrived to find about one acre of annual grasses burning under the influence of a southwest wind with a moderate to rapid rate of spread. As fire personnel engaged the blaze, it made a run toward the slope of the San Bernardino National Forest ultimately establishing itself on the forest.
Due to the location of the fire, CalFire’s San Bernardino Unit and the San Bernardino National Forest were immediately notified of the incident and quickly arrived to augment resources from County Fire. All three agencies went into unified command due to the threat to local, state, and federal lands.
The South Fire quickly grew to present an immediate structure threat to numerous outbuildings and residences along Lytle Creek Road. Firefighters and law enforcement officials were instrumental in evacuating residents from the path of the fire.
Numerous structures have been damaged, however the exact number and types of buildings involved has yet to be determined. This will be the focus of County Fire’s Damage Assessment Team tomorrow.
An evacuation order remains in effect for the entire community of Lytle Creek. Due to the single two-lane road in and out of town, lack of lighting and the number of fire apparatus operating on Lytle Creek Road, residents are being escorted out of the area by law enforcement. With a forecasted wind shift this evening and potential of smoke impacting visibility throughout Lytle Creek, we ask that residents respect this order and afford firefighters the greatest chance of fighting this fire aggressively yet safely.
The Red Cross has opened a reception center for evacuees at the Jessie Turner Center in Fontana at 15556 Summit Avenue. The Devore Animal Shelter is accepting both small and large animals at 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino. San Bernardino National Forest has established an information line, (909) 383-5688.
One firefighter was transported to a local hospital for evaluation of a minor injury. There have been no other reports of civilian or firefighter injuries.
As of 6:00pm, the fire is estimated at 500 acres with 0% containment. The next update on size and containment is expected tomorrow morning. 250 personnel are assigned to the incident.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation through the CalFire San Bernardino Unit.
Date/Time: August 25, 2021 9:30pm
Location: Lytle Creek Rd/Duncan Canyon Rd
Incident: Vegetation Fire “South Incident” #21-203785
Photo shared from Facebook. San Bernardino county fire