A brush fire in Waterman Canyon in the San Bernardino Mountains has grown to 75 acres, and three firefighters who responded were transferred to a local hospital due to heat-related complications.
Officials have dubbed the blaze, which is burning in the mountains north of San Bernardino, the "Panorama Fire." Flames began in 100-degree weather just before 2 p.m. Monday in a steep and rugged area.
The fire burned 75 acres near Panorama Point on Highway 18 (map), causing portions of roadway to be closed for a few hours. Southbound traffic remained reduced to one lane on Tuesday morning, according to InciWeb, an inter-agency fire website.
A voluntary evacuation was set in place for locals with homes on Old Waterman Canyon Road. The road reopened to evacuated residents later that evening, according to the U.S. Forest Service's website.
The fire was 70 percent contained as of about 8:30 Tuesday morning, according to InciWeb. A recording on the San Bernardino National Forest's fire information line said firefighters were working Tuesday to "improve containment lines."
The blaze scorched the same area as the devastating 1980 Panorama Fire, which destroyed more than 300 homes, according to the Redlands Daily Facts.
The fire area is not far from where the 2003 Old Dire blazed. That fire burned some 1,000 homes and killed five area residents. The arson suspect in the Old Fire, Rickie Lee Fowler, was in court Monday facing murder charges.
The U.S. Forest Service, San Bernardino City Fire Department, San Bernardino County Fire Department and other fire agencies responded, sending 263 firefighters to the blaze, the forest service site reported on Monday.
"Firefighters did an excellent job today, considering the high temperatures and low humidity in Southern California today. We want to remind the public to be extra cautious, and report any suspicious activity," District Ranger Gabe Garcia said in a press release Monday.
Investigators are seeking public assistance in determining a cause of the fire. If you have information, call the San Bernardino City Fire Department at 909-384-5777.
View Panorama Fire in a larger map
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