All evacuation warnings for Apple Fire have been lifted
Firefighters worked on Sunday to clear more lines of vegetation around the Apple Fire but, with the threat to life and property reduced, fire officials lifted all remaining evacuation warnings and have begun sending fire engines back to their home bases.
All evacuation warnings for the fire have been lifted in Riverside County and San Bernardino County.
The last evacuation warning associated with the fire was for residents on both sides of Highway 62 in Morongo Valley in San Bernardino County. That was lifted Monday afternoon.
Effective immediately the Evacuation Warning for all of Morongo Valley – including both sides of Highway 62, has been lifted. The Morongo Valley Evacuation Warning was the last of the Apple Fire evacuations to be lifted. #AppleFire
— San Bernardino National Forest (@SanBernardinoNF) August 10, 2020
Read more… https://t.co/7ETVVJv1tx pic.twitter.com/T3ucJb6c6D
The fire has charred 32,412 acres since its July 31 start due to a diesel vehicle malfunction and was 42 percent contained as of Sunday night. A total of 2,295 firefighters were still assigned to the battle.
Fire officials warned that civilians may still see smoke as islands of unburned vegetation within the fire perimeter burn until all hot spots are out. Mop-up operations were underway in the Millard Canyon area.
“Mop-up consists of looking for areas of flame and heat that are near the perimeter of the fire and making sure that they are extinguished; similar to stirring your campfire to make sure it is cold,'' according to a U.S. Forest Service statement.
Two groups of 10 firefighters were flown into the San Gorgornio Wilderness to look for ways to use natural barriers as containment lines, officials said.
About 2,720 firefighters remained assigned to the battle, but that could change.
As progress continues on fire containment lines, resources that are no longer needed will be released from the incident over the next several days, fire officials said. Strike teams of engines that were utilized on the southern and western flanks will be reduced in number, but enough will remain to ensure adequate coverage.
While companies with large fire trucks are released, companies with smaller fire engines that can travel over difficult terrain will remain as the focus shifts more to wildland areas, officials said.
Full containment was expected by Aug. 17. The main fire progression was expected to continue to the northeast into the wilderness, with warmer and drier weather conditions expected to continue over the next couple of days. The San Gorgonio Wilderness area remained closed.
A smoke advisory remained in effect through Monday due to the possibility of smoke and ash coming into portions of the Coachella Valley, the San Gorgonio Pass, eastern Riverside County and the eastern San Bernardino Mountains, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Four homes and eight outbuildings have been destroyed. A firefighter was hospitalized after sustaining a head injury when he was struck by a falling tree branch on Thursday. No other details were available, including the firefighter's identity and condition.
An estimated 2,600 residences and 7,800 people were evacuated at the height of the fire. All evacuation orders in Riverside County have since been lifted.
Residents with questions or concerns about the fire can call 909-383-5688.
