A devastating wildfire that charred nearly 57 square miles in San Bernardino County is fully contained, one week after the destructive blaze broke out along the Cajon Pass, fire officials announced Tuesday morning.
Preliminary estimates indicate that the the massive Blue Cut Fire, which spread rapidly after erupting last Tuesday along Cajon Boulevard north of Kenwood Avenue and west of Interstate 15, destroyed approximately 105 single-family residences and an additional 216 outbuildings, according to the federal InciWeb page.
While containment lines have been completed, crews are continuing to monitor the burn area for any hot spots and flare-ups, a news release from the U.S. Forest Service stated. A burned area emergency response team has been deployed by the San Bernardino National Forest amid fire suppression repair efforts.
The fire prompted numerous mandatory evacuations, including Wrightwood, Swarthout Canyon, Lone Pine Canyon, West Cajon Valley and Lytle Creek, the pages stated. All evacuation orders were lifted as of Sunday, and displaced residents were allowed to return home.
Stretches of the 15, Highway 138, local roads and railroad lines were all shut down during the firefight, but nearly all of the closures have since been lifted.
Lone Pine Canyon Road to Swarthout Canyon Road to Highway 138 remains closed, as are U.S. Forest Road 3N31 at Lone Pine Canyon Road and all forest roads and trails leading into the burn area, according to InciWeb.
Highway 138 at Stone Basin Road to Interstate 15 is closed to allow emergency equipment through as workers replace power poles affected by the fire.
The 138 is also open only to residents from Highway 2 to Stone Basin Road, but closed to everyone else.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.
Anyone who would like to help out the victims of the Blue Cut Fire can do so by donating to the Inland Empire United Way’s relief fund.
