Crews prepare for potentially deadly wildfire season in Southern California
As the weather heats up, firefighters are preparing for the possibility of an intense and deadly wildfire season in Southern California.
Smaller fires have already ignited across the Inland Empire and plenty of dry brush and rising summer temperatures could create a deadly combination.
“Over the past three days, we’ve seen fires that have occurred in the valley, the high desert and in the mountains,” said Eric Sherwin with the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
The Stoddard Fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon near Stoddard Wells Road, located about 20 minutes north of Victorville.
The blaze had grown to nearly 500 acres by Wednesday night.
Earlier in the week on Sunday, crews battled a fire that ignited at Little Mountain in San Bernardino, a popular hiking area. Around 20 acres were scorched.
The Stoddard Fire, located about 20 minutes north of Victorville, ignited on June 11, 2024 and expanded to over 500 acres the next day. (San Bernardino County Fire Department) A brush fire at Little Mountain in San Bernardino, a popular hiking area, that burned 20 acres on June 9, 2024. (San Bernardino County Fire Department) A man on a rooftop looks at approaching flames from the Springs Fire on May 3, 2013 near Camarillo, California. (Getty Images) A firetruck drives along California Highway 96 as the McKinney Fire burns in Klamath National Forest, Calif., July 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File) Flames rise from the York Fire on Ivanpah Rd. on Sunday, July 30, 2023, in the Mojave National Preserve, Calif. The York Fire has burned over 77,000 acres and has 0% containment. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil) FILE – Flames burn inside a van as the Camp Fire tears through Paradise, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Currently, the Maui wildfires are the nation’s fifth-deadliest on record, according to research by the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit that publishes fire codes and standards used in the U.S. and around the world. The Camp Fire killed 85 people and forced tens of thousands of others to flee their homes as flames destroyed 19,000 buildings in Northern California. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File) In this photo provided by the National Park Service Mojave National Preserve, the York fire burns in an area of the Mojave National Preserve on Saturday, July 29, 2023. A massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve is spreading rapidly amid erratic winds. Meanwhile, firefighters reported some progress Sunday against another major blaze to the southwest that prompted evacuations. (Park Ranger R. Almendinger/ InciWeb /National Park Service Mojave National Preserve via AP) Forest burns in the Carr Fire on July 30, 2018 west of Redding, California. (Getty Images) Firefighters work to keep the Oak Fire from reaching a home in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, Calif., on Saturday, July 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) This photo provided by the National Park Service Mojave National Preserve shows a tanker making a fire retardant drop over the York fire in Mojave National Preserve on Saturday, July 29, 2023. A massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve is spreading rapidly amid erratic winds. Meanwhile, firefighters reported some progress Sunday against another major blaze to the southwest that prompted evacuations. (Park Ranger R. Almendinger/ InciWeb /National Park Service Mojave National Preserve via AP) Firefighters battle a wildfire as it threatens to jump a road near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) FILE – A helicopter drops water on the Fairview Fire burning on a hillside Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, near Hemet, Calif. Scientists say a warming planet will lead to hotter, longer and more wildfire-plagued heat waves. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File) FILE – A home burns as the Dixie fire jumps Highway 395 south of Janesville, Calif., Aug. 16, 2021. Two insurance industry giants have pulled out of the California marketplace, saying that wildfire risk and the soaring cost of construction prompted them to stop writing new policies in the nation’s most populous state. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File) Flames consume a home on Triangle Rd. as the Oak Fire burns in Mariposa County, Calif., on Saturday, July 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Firefighters mop up hot spots while battling the Oak Fire in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. They are part of Task Force Rattlesnake, a program comprised of Cal Fire and California National Guard firefighters. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Seen from the Foresthill community in Placer County, Calif., a plume rises from the Mosquito Fire on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) A firefighter watches the Station Fire as it burns in Angeles National Forest Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009 in La Canada Flintridge, Calif. (AP Photo/Philip Scott Andrews) Fires approach a home near Lower Lake, Calif., Friday, July 31, 2015. A series of wildfires were intensified by dry vegetation, triple-digit temperatures and gusting winds. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) A large wildfire burns in Riverside County, California. (KTLA) A man is seen using his T-shirt to fight a wildfire in the Sylmar area on July 11, 2023. (RMG News)
“While that was burning, we had a new start in Lytle Creek,” Sherwin recalled.
Sherwin said thankfully the two fires were relatively small but said they remain examples of just how quickly fires can ignite in dry Southern California weather.
With flames able to expand quickly under these conditions, firefighters remain concerned about having enough resources to tackle the blazes.
“Whenever we have multiple fires burning in relatively close proximity to each other, we are going to see a competition for resources,” Sherwin explained.
With the first day of summer approaching on June 20, rising temperatures mean more dry vegetation and a dangerous potential for large fires.
In 2023, three massive fires burned simultaneously in Riverside County, scorching thousands of acres and threatening nearby homes.
This past weekend, several fires broke out in the county as well, including in Norco, Lake Elsinore and Mead Valley.
The flames were quickly extinguished in each instance, however, fire crews said the consistency of new blazes is a sign of things to come in the summer months.
Many agencies like the Forest Service and CAL FIRE Riverside County are performing prescribed burns to remove dry vegetation that can become a hazard.
Although wildfires can happen year-round, peak wildfire season in California typically runs from June through late October or November.
Those who live in a fire-prone community should be prepared to evacuate in the event they are threatened by a wildfire.
“if you are in that area, be ready to evacuate if you need to,” advises Capt. John Clingingsmith Jr. from CAL FIRE Riverside County. “Have the essentials that you need — medications, computers, pictures.”
Some general items to pack in an emergency kit should include:
Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
Prescription medication
Flashlight
First aid kit
Extra batteries
Whistle (to signal for help)
Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual can opener (for food)
Local maps
For more information on how to prepare for a wildfire evacuation, including how to protect your home, visit CAL FIRE’s website or Ready.gov for more tips.
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