Bobcat Fire: 109,000 Acres Burned, 17 Percent Contained

LOS ANGELES, CA —The Bobcat Fire bloomed to 109,271 acres with containment increasing to 17 percent, authorities reported Tuesday morning. The blaze threatens over 1,000 homes in the Antelope Valley foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Bobcat Fire ignited in early September, in the Cogswell Dam and West Fork Day Use Area. It continues to burn through heavy fuel, with a rapid rate of spread. As of Tuesday, the cause remains under investigation, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

As of Tuesday at 5 p.m., current evacuations include:

THE FOLLOWING AREAS WILL REMAIN UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS:
• Residences along Angeles Crest Hwy, between Angeles Forest Hwy and Hwy 39.
• The unincorporated areas of Crystal Lake, East Fork of the San Gabriel River, and Camp Williams.
• Communities of Pearblossom, Juniper Hills, Valyermo, and Llano. (Except for the Longview section, referenced below under Warnings).
• South and West of Upper Big Tujunga, East of Angeles Forest Hwy, and North of Angeles Crest Hwy.

THE FOLLOWING AREAS WILL REMAIN UNDER EVACUATION WARNINGS:
• City of Pasadena/Community of Altadena: North of Sierra Madre Bl., West of Michillinda Av, East of Washington Bl., North of New York Dr. AND North of New York Drive & Woodbury Dr., East of Hahamongna Watershed Park.
• Community of Wrightwood.
• Littlerock: South of Pearblossom Hwy, North of Weber Ranch Rd., East of Cheseboro Rd., and West of 87th St. East.
• South of Hwy 2, North of Blue Ridge Truck Trail, East of Hwy 39, and West of the Los Angeles Co. border.
• Longview: South of Ave U-8, North of East Ave W-14, East of 121st East, and West of 155th St. East.
• South of Pearblossom Hwy (Hwy 138), South and East of Pearblossom Hwy (Hwy 122), North and West of Mt. Emma Rd., North and East of Angeles Forest Hwy, and West of Cheseboro Rd.
• South of Mt. Emma Rd., North of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Rd., East of Angeles Forest Hwy, and West of Pacifico Mtn.

A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at Palmdale High School, located at 2137 E Avenue R, Palmdale, 93550.

The first evacuation point at Santa Anita Park is now closed and anyone still needing assistance can call the Disaster Distress Hotline at 800-675-5799.

Accommodations for large animals is available at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds at 2551 W Avenue H, Lancaster, CA 93536.

Fighting The Bobcat Blaze:

With the weather forecast similar to Monday, firefighters plan to secure the line between Mt. Wilson and Highway 2, stated in a Tuesday morning briefing. Over 1,500 personnel, 185 engines, 24 hand crews, six helicopters, 18 dozers, and 11 water tenders are working the blaze.

"In Antelope Valley, crews will continue to construct direct line on the fire's edge and mop up," the spokesperson said. "On the northeastern corner of the fire, crews will be looking for opportunities to construct a line to stop any further spread to the east."

The Angeles National Forest fire still threatens communities in both the Antelope Valley and San Gabriel Valley foothills. Since the blaze began, the Bobcat Fire has destroyed or damaged 29 structures, with authorities fearing the number could rise to 85. The cause of the Bobcat fire remains under investigation as of this report.

If you see smoke toward Mt. Wilson, it won't be unexpected, officials say.

"Expect to see smoke plumes and aircraft north of Mt. Wilson as crews engage in strategic firing operations," they said. Overnight, crews aircraft and equipment "picked up (hot) spots and secured the lines," the Angeles National Forest said in a statement Tuesday morning.

Information was not available regarding how many of the burned structures were homes. Officials expect that assessment to be completed by Wednesday.

"On Friday, on the 18th, we incurred structure loss ... the fire came off of the Angeles National Forest down into the communities of Cima Mesa, Juniper Hills, Pearblossom, and Devil's Punchbowl," the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Vince Pena said Monday evening. "We're still currently aggressively assessing the damage from that."
The fire burned the Nature Center at the Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area, Los Angeles County parks officials said. The area is closed until further notice.

Containment of the enormous blaze has fluctuated since Friday. It has gone from 15 percent containment Friday, down to 13 percent Monday, and now back to 17 percent containment Tuesday morning.

The blaze advanced again on Mount Wilson on Monday while prompting fresh evacuation orders as officials worked to prevent the flames from spreading out of the Antelope Valley foothills.

"Mt. Wilson was a high priority for us (on Monday), that's actually been a priority for the last few days," department spokesman Sky Cornell told KCAL9. "We know that our crews worked heavy through (Sunday) night and again (Monday) and they'll continue to do that through the night.

"We've been able to take advantage of our air resources, both fixed wing and our helicopters, and also our ground crews," Cornell said.

Fire officials said that while the fire still burns below the Mount Wilson Observatory and was making "a hard push," they are employing various techniques to make sure critical infrastructure is protected.

"The Bobcat Fire has picked up again and is making its way toward the northwest slope of the Mt. Wilson Drainage. Cal Fire is planning another strategic firing operation on the north/northwest slope of Mt. Wilson. Resources have made their way back to the lower parking lot," Mount Wilson Observatory representatives wrote on Twitter.

Mount Wilson is home to one of the crown jewels of astronomy and home to infrastructure that transmits cellphone signals and television and radio broadcasts for the greater Los Angeles Area.

Two private drones being flown in the area late Monday morning prompted the 30-minute grounding of a fixed-wing aircraft and the diversion of other aircraft resources to the northwest part of the fire as a precaution, a fire official said.
There was no immediate word on who was operating the drones.

The U.S. Forest Service reported shortly before 2 p.m. that the aircraft was back in the air.

Evacuation orders were added Monday afternoon for residents south and west of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road; east of Angeles Forest Highway; and north of Angeles Crest (2) Highway, according to the sheriff's department.

The Wrightwood area in San Bernardino County was also under an evacuation warning

A total of 1,513 personnel were assigned to the fire as of Monday evening

A closure order has been issued for national forests in Southern California, including the Angeles National Forest.

Full containment is not expected until Oct. 30.