Tough conditions make California’s Blue Cut fire hard to contain

World Today

Tough conditions make California's Blue Cut fire hard to contain

Fire crews in Southern California are making some progress in battling the menacing Blue Cut fire. It started Tuesday morning and has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. But tough conditions and making the huge blaze hard to contain.

CCTV America’s May Lee reports.

Heat, wind and bone dry conditions are fueling the devastating and extremely dangerous Blue Cut fire in the mountains of Southern California.

The fire has so far burned more than 12,500 hectares. Containment, only four percent.

“The fuels are extremely dry and very explosive at this time of year and in my 40 years of fighting fire I have never seen a fire behavior so extreme,” Michael Wakoski from San Bernardino County Fire Department said.

More than 1,300 crews have been assaulting the inferno from the ground and air. But at times the fires are so intense, lines of bright red fire retardant are crossed with ease.

82,000 residents were ordered to evacuate their homes, many wondering if they’ll have anything to go back to.

Businesses have also been lost including the iconic Summit Inn, a 60-year-old roadside cafe off the famed Route 66. Once a favorite among locals and celebrities including Elvis Presley and John Wayne, now reduced to smoldering rubble and ash.

The potential for bigger and more frequent super fires is huge, said experts. With California suffering from five straight years of extreme drought, everyone in high risk areas are being warned devastating fires could strike anywhere anytime.

Which means scenes like this will become all too familiar.

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