BURNS CANYON AND RIMROCK EVACUATED, THE LATEST ON THE LAKE FIRE

The San Bernardino County Fire Department ordered mandatory evacuations of Burns Canyon and the Rimrock areas about 10:00 p.m. last night. Pioneertown is now under a voluntary evacuation. Residents are concerned about the huge plumes of smoke coming from the Lake Fire near Morongo Valley and Pioneertown. A U.S. Forest Service spokesman spoke with Z107.7 News last night and said that the wind had shifted yesterday, which pushed the fire back into areas of timber, where there is a lot of fuel in the form of dense juniper, pinon, and conifer trees. The south side of the fire continues to burn in steep and rocky terrain with minor growth downhill hitting areas of unburned trees and grass that ignite and then burn again downhill. Additional crews have been inserted into the Ten Thousand Foot Ridge and will proceed toward the eastern Forest Boundary. The fire grew to 24,200 acres, and the containment area fell to 21 percent. Morongo Valley Fire Department sent a brush engine Wednesday afternoon to the Lake Fire to assist with structure protection. Two DC-10 aircraft, along with three air tankers which were dropping water and fire retardant on the flames, had to be grounded Wednesday afternoon because someone flew a drone in the Onyx Peak area where the tankers were flying. The Forest Service is angry that because of someone’s irresponsible and illegal actions, the firefighters couldn’t use the “best tools in [their] toolbox” because it would endanger lives and prevent them from doing their job. Residents who evacuated were directed to go to Copper Mountain College; pets can be dropped off at the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter, and horses can be brought to the Yucca Valley Equestrian Center on Avalon.