More than 100 people were temporarily stranded off a highway after fleeing 100-foot flames from a brush fire that broke out late Saturday afternoon near a reservoir in San Bernardino County, prompting road closures and evacuations.
Dubbed the Lake fire, the blaze broke out shortly before 4 p.m. at the Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area, near Highway 173 and Cedar Springs Dam Trail. By 7 p.m. the fire had increased from 60 acres to 477 acres, according to Cal Fire officials.
More than 100 people were at the reservoir when the fire broke out and were forced to flee the flames. Boaters and jet skiers helped evacuate people out of the beach to another area where they were taken to a roadside turnout on Highway 173, just north of the lake. Many people were wearing beach attire and flip flops.
Shaun Kirkman and his girlfriend, Amber King, were among those forced to flee.
“I was west of the beach, fishing in vegetation,” Kirkman said. “The fire sounded like Velcro so I kept fishing, then it got louder. I saw 100-foot flames. Me and my girlfriend ran out of there.“
Gloria Orejel, spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, said about 75 to 100 people were camping in the area and were forced to evacuate with whatever they had on. She said park rangers helped transport people to another spot on the highway. As of 8 p.m. the group had been taken back to their vehicles.
Evacuation orders have been issued, authorities said. North of Highway 138 is under an evacuation warning, while south of the highway, between Interstate 15 and Highway 173, is under a mandatory evacuation.
Cal Fire said it’s in unified command with local authorities including San Bernardino County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service. Fire crews have been battling the blaze both on the ground and in the air. The cause remains under investigation.
On Friday, Southern California fire chiefs warned that a season of devastating wildfires was likely amid low rainfall and dry conditions.
