Evacuations have been ordered for residents in Wrightwood, as well as the Desert Front area north of Wrightwood, due to a wildfire burning near the Angeles National Forest through the weekend.
The wildfire, dubbed the Sheep Fire, has now grown to roughly 990 acres, according to a status update from the Angeles National Forest, and is still 5% contained.
"The Sheep Fire has grown to 775 acres and is 5% contained," the update said around 4:15 p.m. Sunday. "It is burning toward Desert Front Road. Law enforcement is going door-to-door with a mandatory evacuation for Desert Front Road and Wild Horse Canyon."
The mandatory evacuations for Wrightwood came as the fire increased in size, after evacuations were already ordered for the Desert Front area.
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"There is a mandatory evacuation order in place for residents living in the community of Wrightwood," the San Bernardino County Sheriff said in a Twitter announcement around 4:22 p.m. Sunday. "The evacuation order is for Highway 2 to Mesquite St. from Hwy138 to Sand Canyon."
The fire has grown exponentially just on Sunday afternoon.
"The Sheep Fire has grown to 150 acres and is 5% contained," the division of the U.S. Forest Service said in its 3:30 p.m. status update.
"State Route 2 and Highway 138 is a hard closure. There is a road closure from Hwy 138 to Lone Pine (Highway 2)."
An evacuation center has been established at Serrano High School, at 9292 Sheep Creek Road, Phelan, CA 92371. The Red Cross is on the scene, officials said.
It was first reported near the town of Wrightwood on Saturday evening. It was 5% contained as of 1:30 p.m. Sunday, when it stood at 45 acres according to officials.
"EVACUATION ORDER for the Desert Front area north of Wrightwood," San Bernardino County Fire tweeted on Sunday at 2:51 p.m. "Law Enforcement going door to door for impacted area."
"Residents - Have a plan & be prepared to leave if an order impacts your area."
Though firefighters have been working to contain the blaze since it was first reported, the fire became more active Sunday, growing from 35 acres around 8 a.m. to 45 acres in the afternoon.
"The fire is becoming more active, with some torching / burning of trees in the interior," a spokesperson for the Angeles National Forest division of the U.S. Forest Service said in a status update around 1:30 p.m.
"Crews are actively working along the perimeter of the fire, while fixed-wing operations have concluded for now," the statement continued.
The fire was first reported at around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, at approximately a quarter of an acre, fire officials said.
As of 8:30 p.m. the fire had grown to 30 acres.
As of 3:30 p.m., the fire had reached 150 acres.
The fire is still burning away from the town of Wrightwood, officials said Sunday.
Fire crews were on scene both on the ground and in the air Saturday, according to the Angeles National Forest.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department and Cal Fire San Bernardino unit were also on scene Saturday.
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The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
"The fire is being co-managed under unified command by both the Angeles National Forest and Cal Fire BDU (San Bernardino Unit)," officials said Sunday morning. "San Bernardino County Fire is assisting on the fire."
According to Caltrans, State Route 2 is closed "from 2.8 Mi east of the Los Angeles/San Bernardino Co. line" at Wright Mountain Road to the junction of State Route 138 in San Bernardino County.
No further details were immediately available.
