California residents visiting a tourist attraction in the heart of the Los Angeles National Forest are terrified that their family vacation destination will eventually be destroyed by the wildfires raging across the state.
Eduardo Flores, 32, has spent his summers with his family on the East Fork of the San Gabriel River since he was a boy. This summer was no exception.
As Southern California recorded historic temperatures of over 50 degrees Fahrenheit, Flores and his family drove from South LA to the East Fork region to cool off.
Flores recalls that his trip to the area on July 19 was disrupted after they were evacuated due to the outbreak of the Fork Fire.
The Fork Fire burned 301 acres of land and was contained nine days later on July 28, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Locals visiting the East Fork of the San Gabriel River were evacuated earlier in July when the Fork Fire broke out
“It was scary. It was unexpected because we always come and nothing like this had ever happened before,” Eduardo Flores, 32, who was visiting at the time, said of the evacuation.
On September 7, Flores and his family returned to their regular vacation spot. The next day, the Bridge Fire broke out.
Flores told the SF port: ‘It was scary. It was unexpected, because we always come and something like this had never happened before.’
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument manager for the Angeles National Forest, Matthew Bokach, said an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people were in the area when the fire broke out, SF port.
Bokach told the news agency: “When you have something like that, my nightmare scenario is always that the gorge is completely full, no one can get in or out, and a fire breaks out on a slope just above the river,
“People are panicking, they can’t get anywhere, not on foot, not by car,” he continued.
An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people were in the remote area of the San Gabriel Mountains when the fire broke out
The fire destroyed at least 33 homes in the Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy areas, with firefighters now at three percent containment, compared to several days of zero percent.
“That’s always been kind of my worst nightmare on the East Fork, and it’s not an out-of-the-ordinary possibility.”
There are currently no reported accidents with injuries.
The fire on the bridge has spread to nearly 53,000 hectares and was three percent contained as of Friday morning, after being at zero percent containment for several days.
The fire, which started Sunday afternoon in the Angeles National Forest, has destroyed at least 33 homes in the Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy areas, authorities said. CBS News.
Cal Fire reports that firefighters largely contained the fire Thursday night thanks to cooler temperatures and increased humidity.
The Fork Fire burned 301 acres of land and was contained nine days later on July 28.
Evacuation warnings have been issued throughout the Los Angeles area and San Bernardino County, with multiple shelters and animal shelters available
However, San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesman Eric Sherwin warns that the fire “still poses a very real threat” despite the favorable temperatures, CBS News reported.
Officials said a man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the Line Fire, which is raging in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest and covers more than 36,400 acres, according to NBC News.
Evacuation warnings have been ordered in the Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County regions, with multiple shelters and animal shelters available.