“There is no smoke in our area and no immediate concern,” a spokesperson said this afternoon. “And, we do have an evacuation plan if that were to become necessary,” she added.
The 48,000-acre wildfire, which has destroyed more than 150 homes and buildings, was nearing an 8,200-acre fire in the national forest, according to Associated Press reports. Together, the two fires have charred the equivalent of 88 square miles, nearly twice the size of San Francisco.
Fire officials have been good about keeping the camp staff informed, the spokesperson says, “and if there is a threat, we would receive a call from them telling us to evacuate.” That is what happened a few years ago when another fire threatened the area. “The last time, we received the call to evacuate on a Sunday – and the fire never even came close until that Wednesday,” she observed.
Officials have not estimated when the fires might merge, Associated Press reports. Early Friday, they were about two miles apart, said California Department of Forestry spokesman Jason Goedecke. “You’ve got 100-foot-tall trees, and those are kind of like a torch,” said forest spokeswoman Robin Prince.
The larger fire was ignited by lightning during the weekend and roared into an inferno Tuesday, racing through tiny, high-desert communities. Forty-five houses, 118 other buildings and 91 vehicles were destroyed in the community of Pioneertown, often used to film Western movies, and other towns near Yucca Valley.
A few miles away, the 8,200-acre fire was a potential threat to 75 homes. It was burning at higher elevations that included both brush and timber.
Copyright © 2011 The Evangelical Covenant Church.
