Residents Ordered to Evacuate from Blue Cut Fire in Cajon Pass; 18,000 acres burned

California's latest massive fire, this one in the Cajon pass, has forced the evacuation this afternoon of the town of Wrightwood. San Bernardino County Fire authorities ordered evacuations of the towns of Wrightwood, Rival Creek, Phelan, and West Cajon Valley were all ordered to evacuate. A wall of black smoke arose from Devore Canyon, as dry tinder burned for the fist time in 5 years.

Devore fire has now spread to 6500 acres, it is creating thick heavy smoke. Structures consumed include mobile homes, trailers and an old shed. There are homes threatened in the area.

Highway 138 is closed from interstate 15 to highway 2. The evacuation order is on both sides of the 138 from I-15 to Highway 2, matching the freeway closure.

Helicopters, Aircraft dropping fire retardant and firemen were all on scene.

The Bluecut Fire is a wildfire currently burning in the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County, California. The fire started at 10:36 AM just west of Interstate 15. The fire has burned 6,500 acres of land. A red flag warning was in effect in the area of the fire with temperatures near 100 °F (38 °C) as well as winds gusting up to 30 miles per hour.

By 3:00 on August 16, less than 6 hours after the Blue Cut fire started, it had spread to over 5,500 acres (2,200 ha) forcing additional mandatory evacuation orders for most of Oak Hills, Phelan and Summit Valley

Phelan is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, in the Victor Valley of the Mojave Desert, north of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population was 14,304 in the 2010 census.