A wildfire moved quickly through the Cajon Pass northeast of Los Angeles on Friday afternoon, hitting the I-15 highway. There it burned at least twenty vehicles (18 cars and two semi trucks), prompting mandatory evacuations.
The fire began at approximately 2:33 p.m. local time, burning through chaparral just north of State Route 138. It then spread northward, where it hit highway 15, causing closures on all lanes northbound and southbound. Its cause is currently under investigation.
#NorthFire (Update) 3,500 acres, 20 vehicles destroyed 10 damaged on I15. #SBCoFD dozers & crews active on incident pic.twitter.com/RkJz2WueZc— SB County Fire (@SBCOUNTYFIRE) July 18, 2015
#Breaking:#NorthFire swallowing cars & a boat(upper left)on I-15 #CajonPass. Mandatory evacuations in #BaldyMesa area pic.twitter.com/bLOVyV3ec5
— Tena Ezzeddine (@TenaNBCLA) July 17, 2015
The fire quickly spread from 2,000 to 3,500 acres, taking advantage of 95-degree temperatures, low humidity and 20 mile-per-hour winds.
Multiple reports indicated that fire crews were hindered in immediately dispatching their aircraft to the scene due to a drone flying in the area.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Captain Richard Cordova confirmed to ABC7 news in a live interview that there had been a drone in the area but that it had not kept crews from moving in. "By the time our aircraft arrived on scene there was no sign of that drone," he said.
Cordova, as well as a tweet from the Pacific-Southwest U.S. Forest Service, however, urged recreational drone users to steer clear of the area to avoid obstructing firefighters' operations.
Critically important that recreational #drone operators avoid #NorthFire & other wildfire areas #aviationsafety #UAS pic.twitter.com/ASKiXMRu3L— USFS Fire-California (@R5_Fire_News) July 18, 2015
2k acres now burned, 70-80 vehicles abandoned on 15 freeway, unclear on injuries, homes burning, mandatory evacuation pic.twitter.com/nmiCbdNlwk— Tara Wallis (@tarawallis) July 17, 2015
Drivers had to leave their vehicles and walk along the 15 to escape the #NorthFire http://t.co/u5lTveArpyhttps://t.co/V1zZLaShmh— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) July 18, 2015
Wow... #NorthFire leaves charred/wrecked cars in its wake pic.twitter.com/CP9y8OHuAx— Tom (T.J.) Wait (@CBSLATom) July 18, 2015
#NorthFire: 3500 acres, 5% containment evacs still in effect, SB I-15 still closed pic.twitter.com/yjG60ianYX— Julie Sone (@ABC7JulieSone) July 18, 2015
At time of writing, three helicopters, six fixed-wing tankers and 22 fire engines were on the scene, battling the flames. Mandatory evacuations were in place east of Sheep Creek, west of the 395 and 15 freeways and south of Phelan Road. No injuries had been reported but at least 15 homes had burned with 50 more threatened.