Brush Fire Burning Above Silverwood Lake Increases To 1,500 Acres

CRESTLINE (CBSLA.com) — A wildfire that forced evacuations in the area has devoured 1,500 acres above a large reservoir in San Bernardino County.

The blaze – which shut down Highway 173 between State Route 138 and Arrowhead Lake Road – was growing rapidly.

The so-called Pilot Fire also spurred the closure of Highway 138 from Old Mill Road to Highway 173.

It broke out early Sunday afternoon near Pilot Rock Ridge above Silverwood Lake in the Crestline area.

Dozens of homes in the Summit Valley area east of Cedar Springs Dam were under mandatory evacuation orders.

The order includes the south side of Highway 173 between Cedar Springs Spillway and Mojave Forks Park. Voluntary evacuations were ordered for the north side.

"We have expanded our evacuations. We do have a voluntary evacuation in place now along Arrowhead Lake Road for residents on both sides of the road, south of Hesperia Lakes, all the way down to the 173," Eric Sherwin, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Fire Department, said.

"We would ask that if you are under an evacuation order, please gather up your things and get out of the area so that firefighters can come in and do their work quickly and safely," he said.

About 400 firefighters were assigned to the blaze, including 30 engines, six crews, five dozers, eight helicopters, and seven air tankers.

"This is a combination attack from the air and the ground," said Sherwin. "We have assets from the Forest Service, from Cal Fire, from the county and surrounding agencies all combining to get a hand on this as quick as we can."

As of 6:25 p.m., the fire was at zero percent containment. By 10:30 p.m. the fire was still zero percent contained.

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