Six firefighters became entrapped while trying to help residents escape from the fast-moving Bluecut Fire in San Bernardino County, California, according to a report from InciWeb.
The members were defending homes and assisting evacuations in the Swarthout Canyon area west of Cajon Pass. The six firefighters were part of two San Bernardino County (CA) Fire (SBCoFD) engine companies assigned to the area northwest of Cajon Boulevard.
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Firefighters were able to shelter in place within a nearby structure, but two firefighters sustained minor injuries. Both firefighters were transported to a local hospital where they were treated and released and are now back on the fire line defending structures. One SBCoFD fire engine sustained moderate fire damage.
SBCoFD reminds residents to be prepared and know your evacuation routes. An evacuation order can save your life, leave as soon as evacuations orders are given by fire and law enforcement officials to avoid being caught in fire, smoke, or road congestion. Residents that refuse to evacuate put their own and other people’s lives at risk.
An untold number of homes have already been destroyed by the fire. The Bluecut Fire started on August 16, 2016 at 10:36 a.m. the Cajon Pass near Kenwood Ave. west of Interstate 15. An estimated 34,500 homes and 82,640 people are being affected by the evacuation warnings, as of this writing (August 17, 2016 at 3 p.m. Eastern).
