Getty Image / David McNew
The massive Bridge Fire in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles has grown to 51,167 acres burned across Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties with 0% of the wildfire yet to be contained according to the latest update from Cal Fire.
As it tore through the town of Wrightwood on Tuesday night earlier this week it threatened to burn the Mountain High ski resort to the ground, a favorite ski destination for many in L.A. due to its close proximity to the city. Footage from the resort’s live camera shared by KPRC2 reporter Gage Goulding and storm chaster Colin McCarthy showed an ominous wall of flames plowing through the resort.
This is some of the most intense fire video I’ve ever seen. A California ski resort burned to the ground on a livestream. @mthigh resort in Wrightwood, CA has been consumed by the #BridgeFire. pic.twitter.com/OyRffvghIO
— Gage Goulding – KPRC 2 (@GageGoulding) September 11, 2024
The entire city of Wrightwood, California, is under an evacuation order as webcam footage from Mountain High Ski Resort shows the #BridgeFire burning through the resort.
Multiple fast-moving wildfires are beginning to impact communities across Southern California. pic.twitter.com/XSwLz8DamD
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) September 10, 2024
As an outsider, when I saw Colin McCarthy’s post on the night of the 10th, I figured there was no conceivable way that resort would survive. Those flames looked like they were about to destroy anything and everything in their path. But that wasn’t the case.
Around lunchtime yesterday, the Mountain High ski resort announced that the fire had raced through the area but all of the main ski lifts and buildings survived “with little to no damage” and the powerful ski cannons on the resort are being credited with saving the day as they moistened the ground enough to prevent the fire from engulfing the area.
BRIDGE FIRE UPDATE
Fire raced through the area yesterday but GREAT NEWS! All the main lifts & buildings survived with little to no damage. THANK YOU to the fire fighters & employees for their hard work! Our hearts go out to the Wrightwood community, WE ARE WITH YOU. #BRIDGEFIRE pic.twitter.com/pLw9rXWmyP— Mountain High (@mthigh) September 11, 2024
KCAL News picked up the story yesterday, crediting the resort’s snow cannons for fighting off the Bridge Fire from destroying anything and everything on the property:
Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the Bridge Fire continues to grow and 0% of the fire is under control so far. Mountain High shared an update earlier today saying they are ‘not out of the woods yet’ which will be the case until the fire is brought under control and at this point there’s no clear timeline of when that will happen.
One silver lining for everyone in Southern California right now, if there is one, is easterly blowing winds. This is keeping the smoke out of Los Angeles and surrounding areas so the people of Southern California are at least able to breathe.
Here’s the current map of smoke being produced by the Bridge Fire and the others in the area:
Google Maps
For the latest updates on California Wildfires, the CalFire website is constantly updated and provides real-time emergency information for those in the area.