A fast-moving wildfire in Los Angeles County has burned more than 2,600 acres as officials issued evacuation orders and smoke advisories for toxic air conditions.
The Summit Fire continued to burn in the northern region of LA county near the San Bernardino County line in Antelope Valley on Saturday morning, officials said.
LA County Health officials issued a smoke advisory for portions of the county due to the fire near Phelan, The advisory is in effect through 5 p.m. Saturday.
The National Weather Service issued an Air Quality Alert after South Coast AQMD advised “high elevation areas in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains including Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead” could see “harmful” air pollution levels.
Residents in those areas should stay indoors if they see or smell smoke, officials said, and run an air conditioner or air purifier. If they believe the smoke is causing symptoms, they should go to their doctor or call 911 for life-threatening issues, officials added.
Temperatures could be a factor in stoking the wildfire. In Llano, where the blazes originated, temperatures are forecast to rise to a high of 102 degrees Saturday, according to AccuWeather.
People in Zones LAC-E107 and LAC-E127-C are under evacuation orders and should leave immediately.
Other residents in Zones LAC-E107-B, LAC-E126-A, LAC-E127-A, LAC-E127-B, LAC-E127-D, LAC-E128-A, and LAC-E1340 are under evacuation warnings and should pack essential belongings, keep an eye on emergency alerts, and be ready to leave if conditions worsen.
Three zones in San Bernardino County — PIN006, PIN005, and WWD03 — are also under evacuation warnings.
The Antelope Valley Family YMCA in Lancaster is serving as an evacuation shelter, and the Los Angeles County Animal Care Center-Palmdale is serving as a small animal shelter.
The fire exploded over the course of Friday, growing from 309 acres to 1,600 acres in about 2.5 hours.
Flames sadly scroched centuries-old Western Joshua trees, a culturally iconic and ecologically vital species protected as a threatened species under California law.
A fire update Friday night didn’t sound optimistic for wildfire suppression efforts. It did note that the fire is spreading toward the Bridge Fire burn scar, which should slow it down.
“Firefighters continue to battle the fire from both the air and the ground. Steep, rugged terrain is making access difficult, but crews will remain engaged throughout the night with support from night-flying helicopters,” the Friday night update said. “The fire is currently burning toward the Bridge Fire burn scar, where reduced vegetation is expected to help slow fire spread and support suppression efforts.”
