A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been temporarily closed due to the Apple Fire currently burning in the Banning Canyon area located in Riverside County.

The closure impacts approximately 20.5 miles of trail between the Cottonwood Trailhead near the community of San Gorgonio and the San Bernardino National Forest boundary in Mission Creek Canyon in Riverside County. For the safety of the public and the firefighters battling the flames, unless authorized, no person shall travel along this portion of the trail until further notice. Signage has been posted at the main entrance points. This temporary closure is effective immediately until rescinded or modified, at which time the BLM will issue a press release announcing the reopening. 

The Apple Fire started on Friday, July 31, near Appletree Lane and Oak Glen Road in the Cherry Valley area of Riverside County; the fire continues to burn in the area of the PCT. The fire has burned over 28,085 acres and is currently 30 percent contained.

Maps showing the affected area are available online at: https://go.usa.gov/xfdFF.  You may also view the Notice of Temporary Closure. Continue to monitor the BLM, CAL FIRE Riverside County Fire Department and the Pacific Crest Trail Association web pages for additional news.

-BLM-

Incident Information:
 

Start / Report Date: July 31, 2020

Cause: Human Caused

Fuels Involved: Chaparral & Brush

Size: 28,085 acres

Location: Banning Canyon

Injuries: 1

Homes destroyed: 4

Percent contained: 30%

Strategy: Full Suppression

Resources:

Hand Crews: 41

Engines: 311

Dozers: 33

Helicopters: 19

Fixed wing: 2

Water Tenders: 35

Total Personnel: 2,591

Current Situation: Firefighting efforts today will be focused in the Oak Glen area and in Millard Canyon. In the Oak Glen area, the fire is slowing backing and flanking downhill and firefighters are making good progress building a containment line around this part of the fire perimeter.

Hand crews will continue building line in Millard Canyon with aircraft support to establish retardant lines today. The fire remains on the west slope of Millard Canyon; fire spotting is a concern in this area with the winds today.

On the southern perimeter in the Cherry Valley and Banning Canyon areas, firefighters are mopping up and backhauling equipment and trash from the area.

The Apple Fire is burning slowly in the San Gorgonio Wilderness and crews are assessing this area today.

Community Meetings: A community meeting for residence of Pioneertown will be held tonight at 6PM at the Post Office. An additional meeting is being planned for the Morongo and Yucca Valley communities tomorrow evening. More information will be coming.

Evacuations / Closures: Evacuation Orders for Riverside County have been lifted. An Evacuation Warning is still in effect for the area east of Potrero Road, north of Morongo Road and west of Whitewater Canyon Road. Residents: please visit https://www.rivcoready.org/ActiveEvents for an interactive map that will allow you to enter your address to determine if you are within this evacuation warning area.

For San Bernardino County Residents: An Evacuation Order is in effect for all areas east of Oak Glen Road, including Potato Canyon and Pine Bench north of the Riverside/San Bernardino county line. Forest Falls, Pioneertown, and Rimrock are all under an Evacuation Warning.

The San Gorgonio Wilderness has been closed to all use. An Emergency Forest Closure Order is in effect as of August 2, 2020. The order prohibits all entry into the San Gorgonio Wilderness and some adjacent areas. This order also includes the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail between the Forest Boundary and Forest Road 1N01. Additionally, all Forest Service recreation areas in the Forest Falls area are closed. Fire restrictions have increased across the San Bernardino National Forest. Please refer to the Forest web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/sbnf for additional details.

Smoke Advisory: By mid-morning, smoke will be headed towards Morongo Valley and remain in the area until late evening. People with health conditions sensitive to smoke should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exercise in this area today.

Evacuation Center: San Bernardino County residents under the Oak Glen Evacuation Order may contact The American Red Cross at (571) 595-7774. The evacuation center at Beaumont High School has closed.

Road Closures: All road closures in Riverside County have been lifted. In San Bernardino County, the following closures are current: Oak Glen Road at Wildwood Canyon, Oak Glen Road at El Dorado Park and Valley of Falls Drive at Highway 38.

Weather: Conditions are shifting with winds increasing over the fire area. Relative humidity is higher this morning but will decrease especially in the higher elevations where the fire is burning. Temperatures will be cooler today but the windy conditions will dominate fire weather concerns today.

Donations: Two Apple Fire camps have been established. The camps are essentially small cities that include sleeping areas, a business area and a large kitchen that provides all assigned personnel three meals per day. Area residents who wish to make food donations are encouraged to contribute to local food pantries.

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: Riverside County Emergency Management Department, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Riverside County Sheriffs, San Bernardino County Sheriffs, San Bernardino County Fire, California Highway Patrol and Southern California Edison.

Safety Message: In addition to dealing with the inherent hazards of fighting a wildland fire, firefighters are taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by limiting inter-crew face-to-face interactions to what is operationally necessary to engage the fire safely.

There is a temporary flight restriction over the fire and vicinity. It is illegal to fly drones within the restricted area. Remember, “When you fly, we can’t”.

Actualizado: 2020-08-06 07:23 PDT

Incéndio

Se espera que el comportamiento del fuego sea similar al del día de ayer. El fuego avanzará lentamente hasta que encuentre condiciones favorables para quemar un nuevo drenaje.

Humo

Se esperan períodos ocasionales de alta producción de humo. Las concentraciones de humo serán principalmente bajas o brumosas, y ocasionalmente se construirán columnas de humo. En las primeras horas de la mañana el humo se moverá hacia el este, a lo largo de la I-10, llevando humo ligero a Palm Springs, Coachella Valleys y comunidades adyacentes. Se espera que el humo se despeje para media mañana. A media mañana, la dirección del humo será hacia el corredor de la autopista 62 y permanecerá en esa área durante horas de la noche, hasta primeras horas de la mañana siguiente. Las comunidades de Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley y Landers serán las más afectadas por el humo. Las concentraciones de humo serán más bajas en Joshua Tree y Twentynine Palms. La columna de humo podría ser visible en Big Bear Valley, pero no se espera impactos en la calidad del aire.

Patrones de viento

Los patrones de viento y el movimiento del humo seguirán siendo similares a días anteriores.

Smoke Outlook for 8/06 - 8/07
Inland Empire-Desert Region Apple Fire

Issued at: 2020-08-06 07:11 PDT
 

Fire

Fire behavior is expected to be similar to yesterday. Fire will make slow progress until it finds a favorable condition to burn into a new drainage.
 

Smoke

Expect to see occasional periods of high smoke production. Smoke will mostly be in low/hazy concentrations and occasional column building. Smoke will travel eastward along the I-10 in early morning hours. Bringing light smoke to the Palm Springs, Coachella Valleys, and surrounding communities which will clear by mid-morning. By mid-morning the smoke direction will be towards Highway 62 corridor and remain in that area until the late evening, early morning hours. The communities of Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, and Landers will be the strongest impacted with smoke. Concentrations will be lower in Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms. Smoke column may be visible in Big Bear Valley but no impacts to air quality is expected.
 

Wind Patterns

Wind patterns and smoke drift will remain similar to previous days.

Incident Information:

Start / Report Date: July 31, 2020

Cause: Human Caused

Fuels Involved: Chaparral & Brush

Size: 27,569 acres

Location: Banning Canyon

Injuries: 1

Homes destroyed: 4

Percent contained: 30%

Strategy: Full Suppression

Resources:

Hand Crews: 41

Engines: 311

Dozers: 33

Helicopters: 19

Fixed wing: 1

Water Tenders: 35

Total Personnel: 2,591

Current Situation: Firefighters remain focused on the southeast flank above the Morongo Reservation in Millard Canyon and on the northwest flank in the Oak Glen – Yucaipa Ridge area. The Apple Fire was most active in Millard Canyon north of Morongo today, burning in dense fuels and producing heavy smoke. Despite the winds today, firefighters kept the fire on the west slope of Millard Canyon with a combination of line-building and retardant drops.

Crews continued to build line northwest of Oak Glen. A crew is on Yucaipa Ridge to evaluate the cell tower area for further fuels clearance. A second base camp is now at Yucaipa Regional Park for personnel working in this area.

While firefighting is challenging during this COVID-19 outbreak, wildland fire personnel are trained to work quickly to adapt to changing situations. Adjusting to COVID-19 conditions and taking precautions is part of this kind of work. Fire camps are more spread out, masks are now part of standard PPE and personnel are screened on a regular basis. Wildland fire professionals are adapting to COVID-19.

Evacuations / Closures: Evacuation Orders for Riverside County have been lifted. An Evacuation Warning is still in effect for the area east of Potrero Road, north of Morongo Road and west of Whitewater Canyon Road. Residents: please visit https://www.rivcoready.org/ActiveEvents for an interactive map that will allow you to enter your address to determine if you are in an evacuation warning area.

For San Bernardino County Residents: The community of Oak Glen remains under an Evacuation Order. Forest Falls, Pioneertown, and Rimrock are all under an Evacuation Warning.

The San Gorgonio Wilderness has been closed to all use. An Emergency Forest Closure Order is in effect as of August 2, 2020. The order prohibits all entry into the San Gorgonio Wilderness and some adjacent areas. This order also includes the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail between the Forest Boundary and Forest Road 1N01. Additionally, all Forest Service recreation areas in the Forest Falls area are closed. Fire restrictions have increased across the San Bernardino National Forest. Please refer to the Forest web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/sbnf for additional details.

Evacuation Center: San Bernardino County residents under the Oak Glen Evacuation Order may contact The American Red Cross at (571) 595-7774. The evacuation center at Beaumont High School has closed.

Road Closures: All road closures in Riverside County have been lifted. In San Bernardino County, the following closures are current: Oak Glen Road at Wildwood Canyon, Oak Glen Road at El Dorado Park and Valley of Falls Drive at Highway 38.

Weather: Good moisture recovery levels and temperatures in the upper 50s to mid 60s are expected overnight tonight.

Donations: Two Apple Fire camps have been established. The camps are essentially small cities that include sleeping areas, a business area and a large kitchen that provides all assigned personnel three meals per day. Area residents who wish to make food donations are encouraged to contribute to local food pantries.

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: Riverside County Emergency Management Department, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Riverside County Sheriffs, San Bernardino County Sheriffs, San Bernardino County Fire, California Highway Patrol and Southern California Edison.

Safety Message: In addition to dealing with the inherent hazards of fighting a wildland fire, firefighters are taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by limiting inter-crew face-to-face interactions to what is operationally necessary to engage the fire safely.

There is a temporary flight restriction over the fire and vicinity. It is illegal to fly drones within the restricted area. Remember, “When you fly, we can’t”.

The Unified Commanders of the Apple Fire will host a community meeting tonight. The

Members of the Incident Management Team will present a short briefing regarding the incident and will be available to answer questions.

The meeting will be streamed live on https://www.facebook.com/SanBernardinoNF

Those who plan to attend in person will be asked to follow current Covid-19 precautions to include facial

covering and social distancing.

Pronóstico de Humo para 5/08 - 6/08

Actualizado: 2020-08-05 07:44 PDT
 

Incéndio

Se espera que el Fuego Apple continúe creciendo en tamaño y

produzca humo en el día de hoy. Es probable que el fuego

crezca una cantidad similar a la de ayer (martes).
 

Humo

Se espera que el humo del fuego Apple produzca condiciones

similares a los días anteriores, pero con menos humo. En las

primeras horas de la mañana, el humo del fuego será

empujado hacia el sureste, hacia el corredor I-10. Las

comunidades de Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Indio y

comunidades adyacentes recibirán humo. A medida que

avance el día, el humo se moverá hacia el este, hacia la

autopista 62, afectando a las comunidades de Morongo Valley,

Yucca Valley, Landers, 29 Palms, Joshua Tree y Desert Hot

Springs.
 

Condiciones del tiempo

Las condiciones del tiempo varían ligeramente de día a día. El

patrón del humo seguirá siendo consistente a días anteriores.

Smoke Outlook for 8/05 - 8/06

Inland Empire-Desert Region Apple Fire

Issued at: 2020-08-05 06:52 PDT

Fire

The Apple Fire is expected to continue to grow in size produce

smoke today. The amount of fire growth is likely to similar to

yesterday (Tuesday).
 

Smoke

Expect similar Apple Fire smoke conditions as previous days

but with less smoke. In the early morning hours, smoke from

the fire will be pushed southeast into the I-10 corridor. The

communities of Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Indio, and

surrounding communities will receive smoke. As the day

progresses, smoke will travel eastward towards Highway 62

with the communities of Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley,

Landers, 29 Palms, Joshua Tree, and Desert Hot Springs

effected.
 

Weather

Slight variations in day to day weather. Smoke patterns will

remain mostly consistent to previous days.

Incident Information:

Resources:

contact The American Red Cross at (571) 595-7774. The evacuation center at Beaumont High School has

closed.

Road Closures: All road closures in Riverside County have been lifted. In San Bernardino County the following

closures are current: Oak Glen Road at Wildwood Canyon, Oak Glen Road at El Dorado Park and Valley of the Falls is closed at Highway 38.

Weather: The morning marine layer will keep temperatures cooler longer for firefighters but afternoon winds

will increase over the fire area.

Donations: The two Apple fire camps have been established. The camps are essentially small cities that

include sleeping areas, a business area and a large kitchen that provides all assigned personnel three meals

per day. Area residents who wish to make food donations are encouraged to contribute to local food pantries.

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: Riverside County Emergency Management Department, Red Cross,

Moronga Band of Mission Indians and Southern California Edison.

Safety Message: In addition to dealing with the inherent hazards of fighting a wildland fire, firefighters are taking

precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by limiting inter-crew face-to-face interactions to what is operationally

necessary to engage the fire safely.

There is a temporary flight restriction over the fire and vicinity. It is illegal to fly drones within the restricted area.

Remember, “When you fly, we can’t”.

Incident Information:

Start / Report Date: July 31, 2020
Cause: Human Caused
Fuels Involved: Chaparral & Brush
Size: 26,850 acres *
Location:  Banning CanyonInjuries: 1
Homes
destroyed: 4
Percent contained: 20%
Strategy: Full Suppression

Resources:

Hand Crews: 43
Engines: 322
Dozers: 28
Helicopters: 12
Fixed wing: 2
Water Tenders: 51
Total Personnel: 2,578

*A mapping recon flight later tonight will record infrared data that will be used to determine accurate acreage. This information will be reported in tomorrow’s morning update.

Current Situation: Fire activity intensified today on the east and west flank of the fire. Air tankers and helicopters assisted firefighters on the ground in the area of Pine Bench as they constructed handline in an attempt to limit the westward spread. Hand crews and bull dozers worked above them across the Yucaipa Ridge building a fire break. This line is a critical component in the effort to protect the areas of Forest Falls and Oak Glen.

Fire intensity also challenged crews working in the area of Millard Canyon. As the fire backs down the west side of the canyon, firefighters constructed handline in an effort to cut off spread to the northeast. Fire behavior picked up in the afternoon and Air tankers and helicopters were called in to assist. The current objective is to keep the fire on the west side of the drainage.

Overnight, the fire is expected to remain active and back down slope toward Oak Glen.

Evacuations / Closures: Evacuation Orders for Riverside County were lifted today. Evacuation Warnings are still current.  Residents: please visit https://www.rivcoready.org/ActiveEvents for an interactive map that will allow you to enter your address to see if you are in an evacuation area. 

For San Bernardino County Residents: The community of Oak Glen is under an evacuation order. Forest Falls, Pioneertown, and Rim Rock are all under an evacuation warning.  

The San Gorgonio Wilderness has been closed to all use. An Emergency Forest Closure Order is in effect as of August 2, 2020. The order prohibits all entry into the San Gorgonio Wilderness and some adjacent areas.  This order also includes the Pacific Crest Hiking Trail between the Forest Boundary and Forest Road 1N01. Additionally, all Forest Service recreation areas in the Forest Falls area are closed.

 Evacuation Center: The evacuation center at Beaumont High School closed this evening at 7:00 PM. San Bernardino County residents remaining under the Oak Glen Evacuation Order may contact The American Red Cross at (571) 595-7774.

Road Closures: All road closures in Riverside County have been lifted. In San Bernardino County the following closures are current: Wildwood Canyon at Oak Glen Road, Oak Glen Road at El Dorado Park and Highway 38 at Valley of the Falls.
 

Weather: The current cooling trend will continue tonight and Wednesday. Relative humidity will rise slightly and wind will gust near 25 mph.
 

Donations:  The Apple fire camp has been established. The camp is essentially a small city that includes sleeping areas, a business area and a large kitchen that provides all assigned personnel three meals per day. Area residents who wish to make food donations are encouraged to contribute to local food pantries.
 

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: Riverside County Emergency Management Department, Red Cross, and Southern California Edison.
 

Safety Message: In addition to dealing with the inherent hazards of fighting a wildland fire, firefighters are taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by limiting inter-crew face-to-face interactions to what is operationally necessary to engage the fire safely.