Silver fire moves fast in Mono, Inyo counties as wind gusts keep firefighting aircraft grounded
A wildfire in Inyo and Mono counties spurred evacuations Sunday evening as it spread rapidly amid strong winds and low humidity.
The vegetation fire was reported at 2:11 p.m. at Highway 6 and Silver Canyon Road north of Bishop, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire jumped the highway and was threatening "multiple structures," Cal Fire BDU said in a post on X at about 4 p.m. "Aircraft, Heavy Equipement and additional engines requested."
The blaze had burned at least 1,000 acres as of 7:50 p.m., according to Cal Fire. The fire was moving at a "rapid rate of speed" to the east and northeast, according to the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.
Strong winds and dry conditions were hindering the firefight from the air. Several aircraft were grounded due to "extreme turbulence," according to Cal Fire BDU.
The weather service reported wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph with relative humidity at about 10%.
As of about 5:30 p.m., mandatory evacuations were in place for portions of northern Inyo and southeastern Mono counties including the White Mountains Wilderness Area. Highway 6 was closed.
An evacuation center was established at the Benton Community Center, 58869 Highway 120 in Benton, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Fire rages in Southern Calif. months after destructive blaze in San Bernardino County
Advertisement Crews are racing to contain and extinguish a wildfire that broke out in Southern California on Tuesday, exploding in size in a matter of hours and forcing people to flee their homes. According to CAL FIRE, the Ranch Fire broke out near Apple Valley in San Bernardino County just after 2:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The blaze was initially reported to be about 80 acres but quickly grew. In a matter of about four hours, the Ranch Fire had grown to 2,000 acres and then doubled in size to more than 4,200 acres by Tuesday night. Advertisement The Ranch Fire, as of Wednesday afternoon, is 10% contained and the cause is under investigation. Evacuations have been ordered in the area, with people and their pets living in the area of Milpas Drive to High Road, south of Highway 18, told to flee for safety. Evacuation centers have been set up for evacuated residents at the Sitting Bull Academy on Sitting Bull Road in Apple Valley, while the Victorville Fairgrounds in Victorville are being opened up to shelter large animals. 4 A Ranch Fire broke out near in San Bernardino County after 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday. @CALFIREBDU / X Advertisement 4 The blaze was initially reported to be about 80 acres. @CALFIREBDU / X 4 The Ranch Fire had grown to 2,000 acres and then doubled in size to more than 4,200 acres in roughly four hours. @CALFIREBDU / X Fire rages months after Line Fire This latest wildfire in San Bernardino County comes months after the destructive Line Fire scorched nearly 44,000 acres back in September 2024. Tens of thousands of structures had been threatened by the Line Fire, while heroic efforts to contain and extinguish that blaze took weeks. Advertisement 4 The fire as of Wednesday is 10% contained, and its cause is under investigation. @CALFIREBDU / X A two-hour time-lapse video showed flames from the Line Fire surrounding a camera, with the video surviving about an hour in the middle of the inferno until the camera feed cut out. No deaths were reported, but at least six firefighters were injured while battling the fire. Arson was determined as the cause of the fire, and on Sept. 10, a 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of starting the blaze in Highland, California, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Home destroyed as Ranch Fire scorches thousands of acres in San Bernardino Co.
Evacuation orders remain in place Wednesday morning for a wildfire burning in San Bernardino County that has scorched thousands of acres and left one home in ruins. The Ranch Fire, which began just after 2:30 p.m. near Bowen Ranch Road and Roundup Way in Apple Valley, had burned 4,205 acres as of 6:50 a.m. Wednesday, Cal Fire officials stated in an update. Video showed firefighters trying to douse wind-driven flames as they burned a single-story home Tuesday afternoon. 'On Wednesday, conditions will remain critical: low humidity (10–15%) and increasing south-southwest winds, with afternoon gusts up to 26 mph. These conditions are expected to sustain active fire behavior,' Cal Fire stated in its update. Evacuation orders are in place from Milpas Drive to High Road, south of Highway 18. An evacuation shelter was set up at Sitting Bull Academy at 19445 Sitting Bull Road in Apple Valley. An animal evacuation center has opened on the Victorville Fairgrounds at 1400 7th St. Containment of the fire was updated to 10% as of Wednesday morning. No containment had previously been reported for the blaze. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ranch Fire scorches more than 4,200 acres near Apple Valley, evacuations ordered
A brush fire ignited near Apple Valley and quickly grew to more than 4,200 acres in size on Tuesday afternoon as it forced evacuation orders, law enforcement officials said. The blaze, dubbed the Ranch Fire, was first reported about 1:35 p.m. in the area of Bowden Ranch Road and Coxey Truck Trail, just south of Apple Valley, according to Apple Valley Fire Department logs. It scorched between 80 and 100 acres within an hour, burning at a "rapid" pace as it was driven by the wind, according to Cal Fire. By 3 p.m., it was mapped at 369 acres, and by 9:30 p.m. it had grown beyond 4,205 acres. No containment lines had been established Tuesday night. Cal Fire announced at 3:25 p.m. that the flames were presenting an "immediate structure threat." A reverse-911 system was being used to notify residents in the potential path of the wildfire. "Fire behavior has intensified due to shifting weather conditions, including increasing winds and low humidity, contributing to rapid fire spread," according to a Cal Fire incident report. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department issued an evacuation order for the area between Milpas Drive and High Road, south of Highway 18, affecting both Apple Valley and Lucerne Valley. "Please evacuate safely and immediately," the agency urged via social media. Authorities described multiple structures as being severely threatened by the blaze, but did not confirm any damage as the firefight continued into the evening. News footage posted to social media showed what was described as a home along Milpas Drive completely engulfed in flames. "A Damage Inspection (DINS) Team has been ordered through the Unified Command to evaluate the damage caused by the fire to structures," according to a Cal Fire statement. An evacuation center for displaced residents was established at Sitting Bull Academy, 19445 Sitting Bull Road in Apple Valley, sheriff's officials said. An evacuation center for large animals was in the process of being set up at the Victorville Fairgrounds, 14800 7th Street in Victorville, according to Cal Fire. Standing near horse trailers, members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff Phelan Posse 303 were positioned along Bear Valley Road ready to help members told the Daily Press they were waiting for sheriff's dispatch to inform them about residents who needed help evacuating large animals. Moments later, the group headed toward the fire and a marked sheriff's vehicle with two posse members parked at the same location and stood by to pick up smaller the sun set, flames became visible from miles away, as several horse trailers with animals headed out of the evacuation area. At a gas station at the corner of Bear Valley and Central roads, Frank and Madeline Franklyn parked their truck and horse trailer as the couple grabbed fuel, drinks, snacks and ice. "We're taking our horses to a friend's house in Apple Valley," said Madeline, as a near full moon began rising over the mountains near the fire. "We don't think the fire will move close to our house, but the smoke is not a good thing for them or us." In the darkness, several lines of fire could be seen, including what appeared to be spot fires further east toward Lucerne Valley. Firefighters from the Apple Valley Fire Department, San Bernardino County Fire Department, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Cal Fire were working together under what officials label "unified command." Tuesday's hot weather was expected to continue into Wednesday, with a high temperature of 96 degrees predicted in Apple Valley by the National Weather Service. More: Extreme heat warning issued as above-average temperatures scorch High Desert (This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.) This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Brush fire burns more than 4,200 acres near Apple Valley, evacuations ordered
