Pilot Fire grows to over 6,000 acres

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The U.S. Forest service just up-dated the Inciweb to report on the Pilot Fire in San Bernardino County, in the San Bernardino National Forest. Currently the fire has burned 6,298 acres and it is five percent contained.

The Forest Service is in Unified Command with CALFIRE, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The fire is currently 4,500 acres with 5% containment.

The fire started shortly after noon Sunday (August 7), near the Miller Canyon OHV (Off Highway Vehicles) area off Highway 138. According to the report, “There are currently 400 firefighters assigned to this fire, including 36 engines, 8 crews, 5 dozers, 8 helicopters, 8 air tankers, including the VLAT assigned. The night flight helicopter has been requested to assist firefighters overnight. Additional firefighters have been ordered and will be responding directly to the fire.”

Once again the unified command has issued warning about flying private drones: “While drones have not been seen over the Pilot Fire, fire managers would like to remind the public that hobby drones, or (UAS) unmanned aircraft systems, pose a major safety threat to firefighting pilots and firefighters. When a hobby drone is flown into a fire area, incident commanders have no choice but to suspend air operations and ground aircraft until the drone is removed from the area.” Click Here for more on drone use around fires.

Road closures and evacuations, as of the 8 p.m. report:

ROAD CLOSURES: HWY 173 is closed between SR-138 and Arrowhead Lake Road, Hwy 138 is now open between I-15 and Crestline / Hwy 18. Forest roads 2N33, 2N17X, 2N36 and 2N37 are closed.

CLOSURES: Miller Canyon OHV Area is closed.

TRAIL CLOSURES: Pacific Crest Trail is closed from the Deep Creek Hot Springs (3W02) to Lake Silverwood.

EVACUATIONS: Evacuations have been ordered on Hwy 173 from Hwy 138 to Arrowhead Lake Road and from Hesperia Lake Place to Hwy 173. Approximately 25 homes are affected.

VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS: North of Deep Creek Spillway, South of Rock Springs Rd, East of the Mojave River, and West of Kiowa Road

SHELTERS: The American Red Cross Reception and Care Center is located at the Oak Hills High School 7625 Cataba Road Hesperia, CA.

Individuals with large and small animals may bring their animals to the San Bernardino County Devore Animal Shelter 19777 Shelter Way San Bernardino, CA.

SMOKE ADVISORIES: The SCAQMD and MDAQMD have issued smoke advisories for the Mojave Desert Area.

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UPDATE: AUGUST 9, 9:30 A.M.: Directly from the Inciweb report.

There is an additional Red Cross shelter set up at the Rim of the World High School, 27400 SR-18, Twin Peaks. It is a reception and care center.

EVACUATIONS are as follows:

MANDATORY/HESPERIA: Summit Valley north to Ranchero Road, east to Arrowhead Lake Road, west to Santa Fe .

MANDATORY/MOUNTAINS: Deer Lodge Park and Yukon Drive, Evergreen Lane, Aleutian Drive, and Klondike Drive in the Grass Valley Area.

VOLUNTARY: Brentwood Road to the west, Peninsula Road to the south, North Bay Road to the east, and everything north of these boundaries in the Lake Arrowhead area.

SHELTERS: The American Red Cross Reception and Care Center is located at the Oak Hills High School 7625 Cataba Road Hesperia, CA. Individuals with large and small animals may bring their animals to the San Bernardino County Devore Animal Shelter 19777 Shelter Way San Bernardino, CA. A second American Red Cross Reception and Care Center will be open at Rim of the World High School, 27400 California 18, Twin Peaks, CA.

ANIMAL SHELTERS: County Animal Care and Control shelters are open at the following locations for animals in the unincorporated county areas under mandatory evacuation orders : 

Small animal shelter: Devore Animal Shelter, 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino CA

Large animal shelter: Victorville Fairgrounds, 14800 Seventh St., Victorville, CA 92395

For ALL animal control inquiries related to the Pilot Fire contact: County Animal Care and Control at (800) 472-5609

ROAD CLOSURES: Hwy 173 is closed from the 138 to the forest gate, Hwy 173 is closed at Grass Valley, Arrowhead Lake Road closed at Ranchero Roar, Deep Creek Road closed at Rock Springs Road, Rock Springs Road closed at Arrowhead Lake Road, Grass Valley Road closed at Brentwood, Forest roads 2N33, 2N17X, 2N36 and 2N37 remain closed, Miller Canyon OHV Area remains closed.

TRAIL CLOSURES: Pacific Crest Trail is closed from the Deep Creek Hot Springs (3W02) to Lake Silverwood.

SMOKE ADVISORIES: The SCAQMD and MDAQMD have issued smoke advisories for the Mojave Desert Area.

SCHOOL CLOSURES: 

Apple Valley Unified School District: Closed – Tuesday, August 9, 2016 

Hesperia Unified School District: Closed – Tuesday, August 9, 2016 

Silver Valley Unified School District: Closed – Tuesday, August 9,2016 

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UPDATE: AUGUST 11, 2016, 6 p,m. The USFS has this most recent update on the Pilot fire, which is now at 7,899 acres and 70% contained.

EVACUATIONS LIFTED FOR HESPERIA, APPLE VALLEY, AND SUMMIT VALLEY

Thursday, August 11, 2016 11:45 a.m. 

On Scene Contact Information: Marc Peebles (909) 855-7794 

Fire Information Line: (909) 383-5688 

Effective Thursday, August 11, 2016, at 12:00 p.m., the voluntary evacuation advisories for the City of Hesperia, Town of Apple Valley, and community of Summit Valley will be lifted. 

Road closures through these areas shall be opened as well. This includes Arrowhead Lake Road from Hesperia Lakes to Hwy 173, Hwy 173 from Hwy 138 through Summit Valley, and Deep Creek Road from Rock Springs Road to the Spillway. The Pacific Crest Trail will remained closed due to ongoing suppression efforts. 

We ask that residents returning to the evacuation zone please exercise caution. Firefighters, engines, and heavy equipment continue to operate in the area! Southern California Edison will continue line repair along Hwy 173 with occasional disruptions to motorists. 

Incident Command has based its decision on the effectiveness of containment lines and decreased fire activity through this section of the Pilot Fire. 

All mountain area evacuations and road closures remain in effect. 

Incident Commanders wish to thank the residents of Hesperia, Apple Valley, and Summit Valley for their patience and understanding during the past few days while firefighters and law enforcement protected their communities. 

WELCOME HOME!!!

Photo by U.S. Forest Service