80,000 people evacuated as fast-moving Southern California brush fire destroys homes, businesses
More than 82,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes as an out-of-control brushfire roars through the Cajon Pass in Southern California.
The Blue Cut fire has burned at least 18,000 acres and is expected to grow, a public information officer for the San Bernardino County Fire Department said. The blaze was first reported at around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning near Interstate 15, the major thoroughfare that takes drivers from Southern California to Las Vegas; the freeway, as well as several other roads, is now closed. Dry brush and temperatures above 100 degrees fueled the flames, and officials confirmed several structures have been destroyed.
Six county firefighters became trapped by walls of flames while protecting several homes, and two had to be treated for minor injuries, the Los Angeles Times reports; they have since been released and are back fighting the blaze. At least 700 firefighters are on the scene, and an additional 750 have been ordered to the area. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) has declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, and Blue Cut is not the only major fire going on in the state. In Northern California, firefighters are still battling the Clayton Fire, which has destroyed blocks of homes. Police said a 40-year-old man has been charged with arson in connection with the fire.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'Many of us have warned for years of a rising ecofascist threat in response to climate chaos'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Is this the end of cigarettes?
Today's Big Question An FDA rule targets nicotine addiction
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
A beginner's guide to exploring the Amazon
The Week Recommends Trek carefully — and respectfully — in the world's largest rainforest
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The worst wildfires in California history
The Explainer Total damage from the ongoing fires could be up to $150 billion, according to AccuWeather
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What happens to wildlife during a wildfire?
The explainer Flames also affect the flora and fauna
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Death toll rises in LA fires as wind lull allows progress
Speed Read At least 24 people have died and 100,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden cancels Italy trip as raging LA fires spread
Speed Read The majority of the fires remain 0% contained
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Fast-spreading Los Angeles wildfires spark panic
Speed Read About 30,000 people were under an evacuation order as the inferno spread
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hundreds feared dead in French Mayotte cyclone
Speed Read Cyclone Chido slammed into Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Thirteen missing after Red Sea tourist boat sinks
Speed Read The vessel sank near the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Global plastics summit starts as COP29 ends
Speed Read Negotiators gathering in South Korea seek an end to the world's plastic pollution crisis, though Trump's election may muddle the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published