Wildire burns South California

Calvin

Calvin

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The 15 Freeway was shut down Friday afternoon as a 500-acre wildfire scorches the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County. At least half a dozen vehicles stopped on the highway have caught fire.

A social message from the San Bernardino County Fire Department called the fire a “MassCasualty incident” — meaning possible multiple burn victims — and has dispatched multiple ambulances and paramedics.

The closure of all southbound and northbound lanes came about 3 p.m., when the North Fire had spread to about 30 acres, according to tweets from the San Bernardino National Forest’s Twitter account.

The freeway is the main route connecting Los Angeles to Las Vegas; current temperatures are listed between 86-90 F degrees.

Images from the scene show several cars that stopped on the freeway engulfed in flames. The wildfire jumped the freeway, officials said.

Firefighters first responded to the report of a vehicle fire on northbound Interstate 15 between State Route 138 and Oak Hills exits, the National Forest stated.

A report by KTLA in Los Angeles says that the blaze started as a vegetation fire but 40 to 45 mph winds helped to quickly spread the fire toward the Oak Hills area, according to Josh Wilkins with the county Fire Department.

The fire was being considered a “multi-casualty incident,” according to Wilkins, KTLA reported.
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http://kron4.com/2015/07/17/wildfir...es-catch-fire-on-southern-california-freeway/
 
Another source:

CAJON PASS -- A wildfire ignited near Interstate 15 on Friday afternoon, destroying cars and quickly spreading to hundreds of acres, threatening homes and closing the southbound lanes.

The blaze, dubbed the North Fire, ignited shortly before 3 p.m. near Oak Hills Road.

Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service and the San Bernardino County Fire Department responded, with the Forest Service leading operations. On Twitter, the fire agencies said the flames were spreading rapidly in heavy fuel and grew to 500 acres within an hour.

The fire led authorities to shut several freeway lanes, causing traffic to back up for miles.

U.S. Forest Service spokesman Uriah Hernandez said no injuries had been confirmed, but county Fire Department said teams of paramedics were responding to reports that multiple commuters had been burned.

Some areas were evacuated in the Cajon Pass area along Interstate 15 about 55 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Several burnt-out cars sat on the highway and other cars and trucks were at a standstill. Traffic was backed up on the freeway as a plane dumped fire retardant on the fire that swept up a hillside.

One firefighter shot water at burning cars sitting on a car-carrier on the freeway.

Helicopters tried to drop water on the burning cars as plumes of black smoke rose up.

Video from news helicopters showed flames and smoke had crossed the freeway. It appeared multiple vehicles had caught fire.

SigAlerts were issued in both directions of the highway.

Structures in the Baldy Mesa community, west of Victorville and Hesperia, were threatened.

A drone interrupted air drops, according to the county Fire Department.

Interstate 15, the main route between Southern California and Las Vegas.
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http://www.contracostatimes.com/cal...lifornia-wildfire-sweeps-across-i-15-destroys
 
I thought it was South Carolina so my bad!!! :eek3:

Yes, SoCal has a lot of wildfires and drought. :(
 
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTrYcoYUOSM[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krRKG71arxM[/ame]
 
Horrible! How did fire cause to damage cars and trucks? Wildfire hit them?
 
Scary!...and with all the drought they are having too....My niece emailed and was so excited as she had gotten tickets for "Burning Man".....
 
Oh well, it's nothing new unfortunately. It happens a lot every year. However the vehicles got burned by the wildfire, that's the first time I've heard.

Honestly, the state/city tries to save water on those areas, wildfire happens. I've seen the yellow/brown tall grasses by the highways. I blame the state for failing to cut the grasses before they burn.
 
High winds making fires rage more plus the embers flying around catching things on fire.

Chevy57 said:
Horrible! How did fire cause to damage cars and trucks? Wildfire hit them?
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HESPERIA, Calif. (KABC) -- Some people who had to abandon their vehicles on the 15 Freeway and run from the North Fire were charged hundreds of dollars by towing companies that removed their vehicles from the scene.

Mariela Munoz says Gonzalez Tow in Hesperia quoted her $1,321 Friday night. When she called, the company was about to close, so she was unable to get her car until Saturday.

In the morning, the towing company quoted her a fee $300 higher than the quote the previous night.

"They said, 'No, the fee was incorrect. The price is now $1,621 plus the gate fee, because it was the weekend,'" Munoz said.

"They shouldn't be in business," she said. "You didn't tow my car because we did something illegally. You towed my car because it was an emergency and my family had to evacuate."

Munoz was able to negotiate the price down to $1,095 and the company told her to call her insurance company to find out if it will cover the cost.

Gonzalez Tow says California Highway Patrol requested the company's services and they charged normal hourly rates. Some of their drivers were working up to seven hours to help clear the freeway.

A manager at Gonzalez Tow told Eyewitness News that the company plans to reimburse the fees for all nine people they towed.

California Highway Patrol officials said they requested several tow companies from the Victorville area and do not control how much these companies charge.
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DRIVER WHO ABANDONED CAR IN NORTH FIRE PAYS MORE THAN $1000 TO TOWING COMPANY
 
Calvin said:
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DRIVER WHO ABANDONED CAR IN NORTH FIRE PAYS MORE THAN $1000 TO TOWING COMPANY
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What?

You towed my car because it was an emergency and my family had to evacuate
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Does it mean that people who left the cars on the freeways because it was too dangerous to stay in their vehicles are legally charged by the tow companies? Oh well I think their car insurances should pay for the charges because if their car got on fire, the insurance would pay for it anyway (Blue Book value costs more than the tow charge so I think the insurances should pay for it).

In the back of my mind, there will be lawsuits against towing companies and/or insurance companies which refuse to pay for it. That's getting ridiculous to pay at least $1,000 for towing. I paid $60 for towing.
 
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