MEC&F Expert Engineers : CALINFERNO: Blue Cut Fire grows overnight to 31,689 acres SoCal; more than 34,000 homes and nearly 83,000 people were under evacuation orders

Thursday, August 18, 2016

CALINFERNO: Blue Cut Fire grows overnight to 31,689 acres SoCal; more than 34,000 homes and nearly 83,000 people were under evacuation orders


Firefighters battle a wildfire on Cajon Boulevard in Keenbrook, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.
Firefighters battle a wildfire on Cajon Boulevard in Keenbrook, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
After burning more than 31,689 acres in less than 48, the Blue Cut Fire on Thursday continued to burn in the Cajon Pass area as evacuation orders remained in place and hundreds of firefighters continued battling the flames.

PHOTOS: Wildfire burns San Bernardino National Forest hillsides


Overnight Wednesday, crews made water drops on the fast-moving blaze in an effort to increase its 4 percent containment. The fire has charred 25,626 acres - a more accurate and slightly lower number than the 30,000 acres that initially were reported by officials.

VIDEO: Cross burns in Blue Cut Fire

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for all of Wrightwood, but officials said that only half of the community's 4,500 residents had complied.

RELATED: Despite Blue Cut Fire evacuation order, half of Wrightwood staying put

Officials estimated that more than 34,000 homes and nearly 83,000 people were under evacuation orders. As of Thursday morning, authorities could not say how many homes were destroyed in the fire.

About 1,580 firefighters from agencies throughout the region were on the scene, according to Travis Mason of the U.S. Forest Service.

There were supported by 178 engines, 17 water tenders, 17 helicopters and 12 air tankers, Mason said.