Story updated on Tuesday August 6, 2024 at 5:17 pm
From California Newsroom partner, LAist
Topline:
All evacuation orders for the Shandin Hills neighborhood have been lifted Tuesday after a fast moving fire tore through the area.
Where things stand: As of Tuesday afternoon the fire had grown to 100 acres and is fully contained. Five homes were destroyed, and three others were damaged, according to San Bernardino County Fire.
Evacuations: The fire had forced evacuation orders for people living south of Ridge Line Drive and north of Edgehill Road, between Beverly Drive and Circle Road. Those have been since lifted, but officials said access to the area was limited to support ongoing fire operations.
Cause under investigation: Arson investigators from the San Bernardino Police Department are assessing the scene to determine the cause and origin of the fire. Police said that a person of interest was detained Monday night but has since been released.
Reporting from KVCR's Anthony Victoria:
Karina Hernandez was among those rushing to check in on loved ones.
"I just came here really quickly because I thought my boyfriend's house was on fire, just because it's so close to the mountain," she said.
Sandra Schneider says neighbors helped save her home by using dirt and water from her pool to put out flames.
"I was ready for their safety, but they wouldn't stop," she said. "They took water out of my spa, and they were throwing buckets up there. Truly, this community saved my house."
San Bernardino County Fire spokesperson Eric Sherwin says evacuations were put in place to allow firefighters to effectively extinguish flames.
"Little mountain is a community with very narrow roads, one lane, one way roads," said Sherwin. "We have fire hoses down in those roads. As soon as we can finish up what we're doing and we can return residents to safe homes, we shall do that."
