Here are the 3 big Southern California fires we're watching closely

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled Wednesday to Southern California where he declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, where big fires this week have destroyed homes and left fire officials scrambling for resources.

Authorities say two of the fires — Airport and Line — were caused by humans, the first by accident and the other allegedly intentional. The cause of the Bridge Fire is under investigation. All sparked in extremely hot and dry conditions.

Newsom previously declared a state of emergency for the Line Fire, and he also toured a command center for that fire in Highland on Wednesday.

All week, massive plumes of smoke have been visible throughout the region, prompting air quality warnings that continue throughout the region.

Here’s what we know about each of the fires so far:

Airport Fire (O.C. and Riverside counties)

For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:

The Airport Fire ignited Monday afternoon in Trabuco Canyon near the city of Rancho Santa Margarita, quickly prompting evacuations. Kevin Fetterman, a division chief at the Orange County Fire Authority, said some structures off Ortega Highway — known as Highway 74 — have been either damaged or destroyed but the scope of the damage is unclear Wednesday.

The basics

• Acreage: 23,140 acres as of Wednesday evening
• Containment: 5%
• Structures destroyed: An unknown number off Ortega Highway
• Deaths: None
• Injuries: 12 — two civilians and 10 firefighters
• Cause: Spark from heavy equipment

How the fire started

On Monday at about 1:30 p.m., an Orange County public works employee using heavy equipment to move boulders inadvertently started the Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon, along Trabuco Creek Road, according to fire officials.

Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Chief TJ McGovern said earlier this week that workers called 911 for help and also tried and failed to extinguish the fire using multiple fire extinguishers. From there, the fire spread rapidly, threatening homes within an hour of igniting.

The irony: Capt. Steve Concialdi from the Orange County Fire Authority said the workers “were trying to prevent other fires by putting those boulders [there] so that people wouldn’t go back in there with off-road vehicles, motorcycles, so forth.”

In California, human actions — intentional or accidental — are responsible for 95% of wildfires. As our colleagues at CalMatters reported earlier this year: Last year alone, people caused more than 7,000 wildfires in California; nationally, it was more than 50,000.

Evacuation map and orders

Evacuation orders have been issued for the following areas:

• Robinson Ranch neighborhood in Rancho Santa Margarita
• Rancho Carrillo
• Hot Springs Canyon
• Casper’s Park
• Blue Jay Campground
• Falcon Campground
• San Juan Campground
• Ortega Highway corridor

Evacuation warnings have been issued for communities in both Orange and Riverside counties. See a complete list.

Evacuation shelters

Orange County

• RSM Bell Tower Community Center, 22232 El Paseo; Rancho Santa Margarita (people)
• Orange County Fairgrounds: 88 Fair Drive; Costa Mesa (large animals)                
• Los Alamitos Race Course: 4961 Katella Avenue, Cypress (large animals)            
• Nohl Ranch Saddle Club: 6352 E. Nohl Ranch Rd. Anaheim (large animals)
• Ralph’s Supermarket parking lot, 31841 Santa Margarita Parkway; Rancho Santa Margarita (small animals)                       
• OC Animal Care, 1630 Victory Road; Tustin (small animals) 

Riverside County

• Temescal Canyon High School, 28755 El Toro Rd., Lake Elsinore (people)
• Santiago High School, 1395 E. Foothill Pkwy, Corona (people)
• Jurupa Valley Animal Shelter: 6851 Van Buren Blvd., Jurupa Valley (animals)
  • An additional Large Animal Shelter is available at the Murrieta Equestrian Center located at 42670 Juniper St., Murrieta. Basic food and water are available at animal shelters. If your pets/animals have special diets or special needs, please bring special food or medications with your animals.
  • Riverside County residents needing assistance with large animal evacuations can call (951) 358-7387.

Bridge Fire (L.A. and San Bernardino counties)

For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:

The Bridge Fire ignited on Sunday afternoon in the Angeles National Forest and has burned tens of thousands of acres this week. Fire officials say that more than 30 homes in the communities of Mount Baldy and Wrightwood have been destroyed, but the full scope of the damage is not yet clear.

This fire is being fueled by long unburned, dense vegetation, as dry and gusty conditions make its behavior unpredictable, and in some cases, unstoppable, according to fire officials. A red flag warning is in place through Thursday.

The basics

• Acreage: 49,075 acres as of Wednesday evening
• Containment: 0%
• Structures destroyed: 20 in Mount Baldy, 13 in Wrightwood
• Cause: Under investigation
• Deaths: None
• Injuries: None reported
• Personnel working on fire: More than 400 from multiple agencies, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, in addition to forest service resources.
• Fire history: Much of the area hasn’t burned since the early 2000s, meaning there’s roughly a quarter-century of fuel buildup.

Where things stand

Evacuations, initially ordered for Camp Williams Resort in Azusa and nearby River Community, have expanded to include Wrightwood, just under 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles and east of the area where the Line Fire is burning.

The full scope of the damage is unclear.

Hand crews and bulldozers have been working to establish fire lines, and hotshot firefighters — crews that specialize in fighting the hottest areas of a wildfire — from New Mexico and Texas dropped in to try to limit the spread of the fire to the south. Their efforts were successful.

But low humidity and gusty conditions persist, creating ideal conditions for fire spread.

Evacuation map and orders

Evacuation orders have been issued for the following areas:

• Entire community of Wrightwood.
• San Antonio Heights and Upland from the foothills south to the 210.
• Piñion Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 138 and Lebec Road west to Los Angeles County.
• Piñion Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18 and Beekley Road west to the Los Angeles County line.
• Lone Pine Canyon from the community of Wrightwood to Highway 138/ Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest.
• East Fork communities of Camp Williams Resort (café, mobile home park, campground) and River Community (near the resort). 
• Mount Baldy Road, all residents north of the San Antonio Dam up to the Mount Baldy Resort.

Evacuation centers

• San Bernardino County Fairgrounds (people), 14800 Seventh St. in Victorville. Call (800) 733-2767 (people)
• Jessie Turner Health and Fitness Community Center (people), 15556 Summit Ave. in Fontana. Call (909) 854-5100 (people)
• Pomona Fairplex (people), 601 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona (Enter Gate 3, corner of McKinley and White).
• Devore Animal Shelter (animals), 19777 Shelter Way in San Bernardino. Call (909) 386-9820, or after hours: (800) 472-5609
• Palmdale Animal Care Center (small animals), 38550 Sierra Hwy in Palmdale.
• Lancaster Animal Care Center (small animals), 5210 W Ave. I in Lancaster.
• Antelope Valley Fairgrounds (large animals), 2551 W Avenue H in Lancaster. Call (562) 706-8581 prior to arrival.

Road closures

• State Route 138 closed from Lone Pine Canyon Road to Beekley Road
• State Route 2 closed from Big Pines to State Route 138.
• San Gabriel Canyon and East Fork of the San Gabriel River
• Highway 39
• East Fork Road
• Glendora Ridge Road
• Glendora Mountain Road
• Mount Baldy Road at Shinn Road intersection

Line Fire (San Bernardino County)

For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:

Call (909) 220-4292 for the most recent status update.

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The Line Fire began Thursday afternoon at the edge of open space and homes, and has forced evacuations in Big Bear, Running Springs and other mountain communities. More than 73,000 structures — including homes and businesses — have been threatened by this fire.

Authorities arrested Justin Wayne Halstenberg, a contract delivery driver from Norco, late Tuesday on suspicion of arson. San Bernardino Sheriff’s official allege that Halstenberg intentionally started the fire near Base Line Street and Alpine Street in the city of Highland.

San Bernardino Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Wednesday that investigators are looking into the possibility that he may be responsible for setting other fires. Dicus said automatic license plate readers captured a license plate of a vehicle connected to Halstenberg near where the Line Fire began.

Dicus declined to say exactly how the fire was set, noting the investigation is in its early stages.

The sheriff added that at least two people have been taken into custody on suspicion of illegally entering an evacuated area in Running Springs. More than 150 law enforcement officers and 120 members of the National Guard are patrolling and conducting security in evacuated areas.

The basics

• Acreage: More than 36,481 acres as of Wednesday evening.
• Containment: 18%
• Cause: Alleged arson
• Structures destroyed: None reported
• Deaths: None
• Injuries: 3 firefighters
• Personnel assigned: 3,179

Where things stand

The fire broke out Thursday and has grown quickly. It was burning a few miles away from Big Bear as of late Wednesday.

Dry, unstable conditions with gusty onshore winds will continue to challenge firefighters, even as temperatures drop. Cal Fire warned that power shutoffs were still a possibility for parts of Big Bear and Big Bear Valley areas.

There have been no confirmed structure losses, though fire officials were looking into a report of one structure that may have been lost or damaged in Running Springs on Tuesday.

Evacuation map and orders

Evacuation orders have been issued by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for the following areas:

• Areas of Big Bear from the dam east to Wildrose Lane and Shoreline South to Bluff Lake Basin. Highway 18 is the only exit route toward Lucerne Valley.
• Green Valley Lake north from Highway 18 along Green Valley Road.
• All underdeveloped land east of Highway 330 to Summertrail Place and north of Highland Avenue.
• Communities of Running Springs, Arrow Bear Lake, Mountain Home Village, Forrest Falls, Angelus Oaks, Seven Oaks and all nearby campgrounds.

Evacuation warnings

The following warning have been issued by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (authorities say residents who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock, should leave immediately):

• From Boulder Avenue east to Church Street and Greenspot Road north to the foothills.
• From Calle del Rio east to Highway 38 and from Greenspot Road north to the foothills.
• From 210 freeway east to the foothills and from Greenspot road north to the foothills.
• The communities of Cedar Glen, Lake Arrowhead, Twin Peaks, Crestline, and Valley of Enchantment.
• Big Bear Valley from the dam to Cactus Road.
• Garnett Street east to Highway 38 and Mill Creek north to the foothills.
• Garnett Street east to Bryant Street, Carter Street north to Mill Creek.

Evacuation shelters

• San Bernardino County Fairgrounds (people), Building 6 at 14800 7th Street, Victorville
• Jesse Turner Health and Fitness Community Center (people), 15556 Summit Avenue, Fontana
• Devore Animal Shelter (animals), 19777 Shelter Way, Devore

Road closures

According to Cal Fire:

• State Route 38 is closed in both directions between Bryant Street and Lake Williams.
• State Route 18 is closed in both direction between Kuffle Canyon to the Big Bear Dam.
• State Route 330 is closed in both directions between Highland Avenue to Live Oak.

More info on arson arrest

Halstenberg, who was arrested Tuesday, is being held in county jail in lieu of $80,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in San Bernardino Superior Court on Thursday, according to jail records.

Sheriff’s officials are asking anyone with information related to the investigation to contact Detective Jake Hernandez at (909) 425-9793. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME or go to wetip.com.

How we’re reporting this

This is a developing story. During the day, Jacob Margolis, Gillian Morán Pérez, Makenna Sievertson and Libby Rainey are contributing. Editors are Karina Gacad, Megan Garvey, George Kiriyama, Dana Littlefield and Tiffany Ujiiye. We fact-check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes and/or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.

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