Dear Constituents,
Our office continues to closely monitor impacts from the Bridge Fire on the communities of Wrightwood and Piñon Hills. Currently, the fire is mapped at 52,960 acres with 3% containment and 2,453 personnel assigned to the blaze.
According to Angeles National Forest's daily briefing this morning, firefighters continued making great progress in the Wrightwood area with direct attack and structure protection.
They are also are mopping up established containment lines and identifying and strengthening secondary contingency lines. Damage inspection teams are continuing their assessments of critical infrastructure today.
Currently, the most active area is in Blue Ridge, where fire is backing down toward campgrounds, and in the steep regions near Mt. Baden-Powell where it's not safe to place firefighters on the ground.
The Bridge Fire Incident Management Team is hosting a public meeting from 6-8 p.m. tonight, Sept. 14, at the Serrano High School Performing Arts Center in Phelan. The meeting will be live streamed on the Angeles National Forest Facebook page.
The Wrightwood Fire Safe Council said that it could be several days before residents are allowed to return home and they encouraged patience. "There are hundreds of people working to make the community of Wrightwood safe. This includes firefighters, road crews, utility workers and other essential workers. These people need space to effectively complete their work in the most efficient manner possible.
"Utility workers were seen in town doing damage assessments yesterday, but there is a lot of work to be done. There are dozens of utility poles that will have to be replaced to secure power and communication lines, water systems are still being evaluated and water testing is being completed to ensure the water is safe and compliant with state regulations."
Additional updates:
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Mail Pickup: Road closures due to the Bridge Fire in the San Gabriel mountains have prompted the temporary closure of the Pinon Hills and Wrightwood Post Offices. Mail service for customers of those offices have been temporarily relocated to the Phelan Post Office at 9782 Clovis Road, Phelan. Hours for pick up are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Customers must present a photo ID for mail pick-up.
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County Collecting Donations: County employees are working with partner agencies and members of the community to collect donations for those impacted by the fires. If you would like to contribute to the Line Fire and Bridge Fire relief efforts, we are still accepting donations. For more information, please call 211.
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Financial Assistance: The Inland SoCal United Way is offering assistance to evacuees, however at press time applications exceeded funding and there is now a waitlist. If you have been affected by the Bridge Fire and need financial assistance, visit this website for additional information. Assistance can be used to help replace lost items or to help pay for hotel stays, deposits on new housing, or other fire-related needs. Assistance is determined based on demonstrated need. For additional resources, please dial 211 and a Community Resource Advisor will be able to help 24/7.
World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit project from celebrity chef Jose Andres, is serving free meals to evacuees and first responders at the parking lot of Stater Bros., 4059 Phelan Rd., Phelan. Service hours are from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Wendolynne Escobedo, Culinary Operations Manager for Western North America's World Central Kitchen, said that the food will be available at least through Sunday and may be extended based on information from the County and state.
An additional location is at Home Depot at 15655 Roy Rogers Drive in Victorville. Hours are noon until midnight.
  Evacuation Orders and Warnings
The community of Wrightwood remains under an evacuation order, while areas of Pinon Hills and Phelan are now under evacuation warnings.
The evacuation warnings from Phelan Road south to Forest Route 3N24, and Baldy Mesa Road west to Tumbleweed Road, have been lifted.
Evacuation orders are currently in place for:
- The entire community of Wrightwood
- Hwy 138 south to Lone Pine Canyon and Highway 2 east to Lone Pine Canyon Road.
- Lone Pine Canyon from the community of Wrightwood to Highway 138/Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest.
- Piñon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 138 and Lebec Road west to Los Angeles County.
An Evacuation Order means your life is in danger and you must leave right away. Your cooperation ensures your safety and prevents emergency resources from being pulled away from other critical efforts.
There are Evacuation Warnings for:
- The area of Phelan from Hwy 138 east to Baldy Mesa Road and Phelan Road south to Sayle Road.
- Piñon Hills from Highway 18 south to Highway 138, and Beekley Road west to the county line.
An Evacuation Warning means get ready to leave. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now.
Please follow all instructions from the San Bernardino County Sheriff.
  Several Shelters Available For Bridge Fire Evacuees and Animals
Wrightwood and Pinon Hills residents in need of shelter for themselves or pets, horses and livestock have several options.
Residents in the evacuation area in need of help removing animals and pets can call Victor Valley Sheriff's Station at 760-956-5001 for assistance.
Our San Bernardino County Animal Care team has been on duty around the clock to ensure that all animals receive attentive care, including access to food, water, and comfortable living conditions. Over 300 animals are now being cared for at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds.
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San Bernardino County Fairgrounds is accepting evacuees, livestock and large animals at 14800 Seventh St., Victorville. Call (760) 951-2200.
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Mojave Narrows Regional Park is accepting evacuees, livestock and large animals at 18000 Yates Road, Victorville. Call (760) 245-2226.
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Hesperia Lake Park is accepting evacuees, horses and livestock (must be supervised) at 7500 Arrowhead Lake Road, Hesperia. If you are bringing equine/livestock, someone will be required to stay with the animals at all times. Please have your ID to show you are from one of the evacuated areas. Hesperia Lake Park is also seeking volunteers to donate their time and/or supplies. Call (760) 244-5951.
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Lone Wolf Colony is accepting evacuees for free dry camping at 23200 Bear Valley Road, Apple Valley. Call (760) 247-7878 office or (424) 533-3065 for more information. Generators are recommended.
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Jessie Turner Center is accepting evacuees at 15556 Summit Ave., Fontana. Call (909) 854-5100.
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Devore Animal Shelter is accepting large and small animals at 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino. Call (909) 386-9820.
  Snowline Joint Unified School District Campuses Remain Closed
Snowline Joint Unified School District remains closed until further notice. Neighboring school districts are closely monitoring the situation and will notify parents and employees should they also decide to cancel class.
To stay updated on school closures, click here.
  Wrightwood and Phelan Memorial Libraries are currently closed due to the Bridge Fire evacuation warnings and orders in the area. Please call ahead before visiting to ensure their current operating hours.
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Wrightwood Library: (760) 249-4577
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Phelan Memorial Library: (760) 868-3053
 
The Friday morning incident update stated that the following roads are closed due to the Bridge Fire:
- SR-138 from Lone Pine Canyon Road to Beekley Road
- SR-2 from Big Pines to SR-138
- Big Pines Highway
- Big Rock Creek Road
There is no estimated time of reopening.
 
Golden State Water Company issued a statement for Wrightwood residents regarding current water quality.
"When it is safe to return home, do not drink your water," the notice said. "Due to pressure losses caused by the Bridge Fire, the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, and Golden State Water advise you not to drink or cook with tap water due to possible contaminants in your drinking water. Please do not try to treat the water yourself. Boiling, freezing, filtering, or adding disinfectants will not make it safe to drink. Until further notice, only use bottled water for drinking and cooking."
For information and the status of the notice, call the 24-hour customer service center at (800) 999-4033 or visit their dedicated Wrightwood webpage at Gswater.com/wrightwood.
  MDAQMD Advising of Poor Air Quality Throughout High Desert
The Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD) is advising of potentially poor air quality in the High Desert of San Bernardino County due to wildfire smoke impacts from the Line and Bridge fires. This advisory remains in effect until further notice depending on firefighting efforts and local weather conditions.
Based on fire growth and firefighting efforts, all communities in the San Bernardino County portion of MDAQMD jurisdiction may be impacted by smoke from both incidents.
Increasing levels of smoke can affect everyone, but it’s particularly unhealthy for those with heart and respiratory illnesses, children, seniors and active adults.
In any area impacted by poor air quality including smoke:
- everyone should consider avoiding any vigorous outdoor or indoor exertion;
- people with respiratory or heart disease, older adults, and children should consider remaining indoors;
- keep windows and doors closed;
- run your air conditioner if you have one – recirculation function is ideal;
- avoid using a swamp cooler or whole-house fan to prevent bringing outdoor pollutants inside.
- Stay informed through the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD).
  Stay Updated on the Bridge Fire Online and on Social Media
Stay updated on the fire's progress via the following websites:
For real-time updates, follow these social media channels on X (formerly Twitter).
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