The Summit Fire, which scorched thousands of acres west of Piñon Hills, was allegedly started by the use of illegal fireworks.
The revelation came Monday night via San Bernardino County Fire Assistant Chief Kelly Anderson, who spoke during the city of Adelanto’s Fireworks Workshop.
Anderson told council members that on Monday, she was at the site of the Summit Fire, which she said “burned through Phelan, Piñon Hills up to the backside of Wrightwood.”
Anderson said the fire, which started on July 10 and scorched nearly 2,700 acres, “was started by illegal fireworks,” which led to evacuations, damaged and destroyed properties and many homes threatened. An official cause has not been announced by Cal Fire.
Unified Command update
On Tuesday, July 14, Summit Fire Unified Command said the blaze was 53% contained, with 1,060 personnel who had battled the fire.
“The Summit Fire Unified Command would like the public to know that the cause of the fire remains under investigation,” the agency stated. “Unverified reports circulating are claiming to reveal how the fire started.”
Unified Command emphasized that the information currently being shared across various platforms “consists of unverified rumors, and they remind the public that speculation misleads those communities impacted.”
Trained fire investigators from the Los Angeles County Fire Department are analyzing evidence, and they need time to perform the complex investigation, Unified Command stated.
The expanding fire
The Summit Fire was reported just before 1 p.m. on Friday, July 10, near Jesus Canyon Road East and Avenue in northeastern Los Angeles County, according to Cal Fire.
By 4 p.m., the fire had quickly expanded from 600 to 2,700 acres and crossed into the Angeles National Forest and San Bernardino County, with heavy smoke moving toward the northeast.
Crews on the ground and in the air battled the blaze, with aircraft drawing water from nearby Jackson Lake and the California Aqueduct to drop on the fire.
More than 500 firefighters assigned to the wildfire managed to hold their ground overnight into Saturday morning, U.S. Forest Service officials stated.
Fire 47% contained
By Monday night, the fire was 47% contained, as firefighters continued to make progress by building control lines and putting out hot spots, according to the Forest Service.
The fire resulted in four homes damaged and one destroyed, as well as three minor structures with minor damage and one destroyed, Forest Service officials said.
Interior pockets of the Summit Fire continue to burn while larger fuels smolder and produce visible smoke, according to Cal Fire.
Heavy annual rainfall has created a dense fuel bed, and recent winds, high temperatures, and low relative humidities have rapidly dried out thinner, smaller fuels, creating a highly receptive fuel bed.
Suppression crews are operating in steep, rocky terrain, while narrow roads present additional driving hazards. Cal Fire Damage Inspection Teams have completed approximately 90% of the assessments.
No injuries were reported.
Heating warning
An Extreme Heat Warning, which takes effect through Thursday evening, increases the risk of heat-related illness for ground personnel, fire officials said.
Operational priorities will focus on maintaining strict safety protocols amidst the intense heat while monitoring for potential thunderstorm development.
Crews will remain vigilant for erratic outflow winds and dry lightning, which could cause unpredictable fire behavior, while continuing to navigate the hazards of steep terrain and rolling debris.
Crews will continue strengthening control lines and mopping up hot spots. They will also identify secondary control line locations.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Use of illegal fireworks suspected in start of Summit Fire
Reporting by Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
