The Vista Fire continued to burn in the San Bernardino National Forest on Thursday, covering more than 2,700 acres as of that morning, officials announced.
About 500 firefighters are battling the blaze, which started around 1 p.m. Sunday on the south side of Lytle Creek and soon threatened the Mount Baldy area, including its nearly 100-year-old resort, U.S. Forest Service officials said. Parts of the Pacific Crest Trail have been closed, as well as trails below the resort.
Hundreds of people were evacuated from nearby recreation areas, according to Nathan Judy of the U.S. Forest Service. The blaze threatened to destroy an estimated 416 structures.
Fire officials did not report the fire contained as of Thursday morning, and a community meeting for Lytle Creek residents was scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Lytle Creek Community Center, park officials said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Mount Baldy is the highest point in Los Angeles County and features some of the region's most iconic trails, including the 10-mile loop up Devil's Backbone.
The resort will be closed Friday but could reopen over the weekend, officials said in an update Thursday afternoon.
“We’re not 100% safe yet, but it appears the Mt. Baldy area has dodged a bullet,” the resort said.
The fire nearly doubled in size overnight Wednesday, and firefighters are working to build containment and contingency lines, officials said. Low humidity, high temperatures and windy conditions continued to fuel the blaze.
“Complex terrain, hot weather and winds, combined with hazards such as falling dead trees and rolling stock, make controlling this fire challenging,” Operations Section Chief Scott Grasmick said in a Forest Service update.
