A fierce wildfire in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties has surged to nearly 50,000 acres, forcing residents to evacuate urgently and resulting in the loss of numerous homes.

The Bridge Fire has consumed more than 51,000 acres and is currently 0% contained, officials reported on Thursday. Its rapid spread has made it the largest active wildfire in California, overtaking the Line Fire, which is also in San Bernardino and has burned an additional 37,000 acres with 18% containment.

One evacuee recounted a terrifying moment on Tuesday as flames approached a neighborhood on California’s Mt. Baldy. From a distance, Liz Wenzel noted, “it looked like a nuke went off, just a cloud of smoke.”

The fire ignited on Sunday afternoon, as reported by InciWeb. By Tuesday, it displayed “extreme fire behavior” and expanded by over 13,000 acres, advancing north and northeast toward the communities of Wrightwood and Pinon Hills.

As of Thursday afternoon, the fire threatened more than 5,000 structures, according to Cal Fire. Several buildings have already sustained damage, and reports indicated harm to power infrastructure. Nearly thirty homes were lost in the Mt. Baldy and Wrightwood regions, as communicated by Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone. Six cabins situated in the wilderness have also been destroyed.

Some evacuees from Mt. Baldy were forced to leave their pets and valuable possessions behind, leading to uncertainty about the fate of their homes.

“It was really hard watching our house being so close to such devastation,” Andrew Corona shared with YSL News.

The fire is expected to grow further as it reaches areas filled with “receptive fuels that have experienced little to no fire activity,” according to Cal Fire.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

Family with a newborn forced to evacuate from Mt. Baldy

Andrew Corona and his fiancée were at the hospital for their 3-day-old son’s first pediatric appointment on Monday afternoon when they received the evacuation notice for their Mt. Baldy Village home, where they had lived for just over a year. Instead of taking their newborn son home, the family and their 5-year-old headed to Corona’s mother’s house located lower on the mountain.

“We had just finally finished unpacking the last boxes, setting everything up and preparing the nursery, getting the cradle ready. We were excited to come home and introduce our son to our place and make him feel comfortable,” Corona said.

They were unable to return home on Monday to collect any of their belongings or even his fiancée’s cherished cat, Midna, as he told YSL News.

“I told her, ‘I swear I will get your cat,'” Corona recounted.

The following day, as the fire escalated, Corona, 27, drove as close to their home as he could until he reached barricades set up by firefighters, pleading for permission to rescue the cat. Eventually, he was allowed to return to his house. From his front door, he could see flames just one street away.

“On our way up, I was witnessing scenes I’d never seen before: fires blazing all along the mountain. I couldn’t see clearly due to the smoke and found it hard to breathe when I stepped out of the car to get into my house,” he described.

Corona only had a brief moment to grab Midna and a diaper bag. By Wednesday evening, he believed their home was still intact, but getting updates was challenging due to power outages and weak signals in the area.

He hopes for good news, but the combination of worrying about his house and sleepless nights with a newborn has been difficult.

“It’s a blessing and a really tough time to endure,” he expressed. “I’m grateful to have my family. I have everything I need.”

Evacuation prompts concern for animals left behind

Liz Wenzel can’t stop worrying about the pets she had to abandon during the evacuation.

On Monday night, police parked in Wenzel’s neighborhood on Mt. Baldy, sounded their sirens, and instructed residents to evacuate immediately to avoid the Bridge Fire.

One of Wenzel’s cats, Haku, became so “terrified” during the evacuation that he hid inside a box spring mattress and wouldn’t come out, she shared with YSL News. She made sure to leave plenty of food and water for him.

“For me, the animals are the highest priority,” Wenzel, 22, stated. “You can replace many items, but you can’t replace a life. Being a devoted animal lover, that’s all I can focus on.”

While she was able to take her other cat with her, she couldn’t secure the enclosures for her three pet snakes, Soul, Lilith, and Ryuk.

Experiencing a situation like this was new to us, so we were uncertain about its seriousness. We were just holding onto hope, thinking, ‘We’ll be back home in a few days.’

On Thursday, Wenzel, along with her boyfriend and their 2-year-old daughter, Marceline, were staying with relatives in Pomona, California. They were unsure when they could return to their home, which they hope has thankfully remained safe from the fires, Wenzel stated.

“The uncertainty is frightening – we truly have no idea,” Wenzel expressed.

Evacuation Orders

Residents in areas under evacuation orders must leave to ensure their safety.

The following regions have been ordered to evacuate as of Thursday morning, based on information from Inciweb:

• Pinon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18
• Beekley Road west to Los Angeles County
• Lone Pine Canyon from the community of Wrightwood to Highway 138/Lone Pine Canyon Road, heading south to the forest
• The complete community of Wrightwood
• East Fork communities of Camp Williams Resort (including café, mobile home park, and campground) and the River Community area near the resort
• Mt. Baldy Road, all residents north of the San Antonio Dam up to the Mt. Baldy Resort

Evacuation Warnings Issued

In areas with evacuation warnings, conditions could deteriorate. Residents in these areas may need to evacuate if circumstances change, according to InciWeb as of Thursday morning:

• San Antonio Heights and Upland from the foothills south to I-210
• Pinon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 138 and Lebec Road, extending west to Los Angeles County

Governor Approves Fire Management Assistance Grant

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday that the state obtained a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as detailed on the governor’s website.

This grant will “ensure essential resources are available to Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties to combat the Bridge Fire.”

“California is facing several rapidly spreading wildfires in challenging terrains in Southern California,” Newsom stated. “I appreciate the assistance from the Biden-Harris Administration for the firefighting teams who are working tirelessly to control these difficult fires and protect the lives and properties of Californians.”

Julia is a trending reporter for YSL News. Connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, 

Contributing: Victorville Daily Press