Fire outside L.A. shuts down I-15

Tuesday, June 18, 2002 | 11:16 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Firefighters in Southern California continued to battle a wildfire in Cajon Pass east of Los Angeles today after beating it back from Interstate 15, the major highway to Las Vegas.

In Northern California firefighters faced hot windy weather following a day in which an air tanker lost its wings and crashed in flames.

Three firefighters were injured in the Southern California blaze, which raged 50 miles east of Los Angeles and prompted the closure of I-15 for eight hours on Monday. The major artery between Las Vegas and Los Angeles reopened about 10:30 p.m.

Three firefighters died in the plane crash in Northern California, fighting a fire near Walker, 20 miles from the Nevada border.

The accidents, which came as crews battled 20 large blazes in 11 states, could signal that the fire season in the West will be particularly dangerous.

"These things happening in the middle of June do not bode well for the remainder of the year," said Bill Peters, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry's San Bernardino unit.

The fire deaths and injuries came on the same day that a U.S. Forest Service worker in Colorado appeared in court on charges alleging she started that state's biggest fire while burning a letter from her estranged husband. If convicted, Terry Barton could face a total of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Northern California fire, in the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite National Park, destroyed at least one home and forced 400 people to evacuate as it consumed 10,000 acres of brush and forest near the resort town of Walker.

The C-130 tanker had just made a pass over the fire when it crashed Monday. TV news video showed the aircraft's wings snapping off and flames erupting as the fuselage spiraled to the ground, crashing in a giant ball of fire.

"I'm standing here looking at the tail section," Mike Mandichak, who owns an auto shop 150 feet from the crash site, said by telephone. "My shop is right next door. It almost hit it."

The Interagency Incident Management Team said the plane was under contract to the government from Hawkins & Powers Aviation Inc. of Greybull, Wyo.

Hours later in Southern California, three firefighters suffered first- and second-degree burns on their hands, elbows and noses when flames engulfed their two trucks. One firefighter deployed an emergency shelter as the heat peeled the paint off the fire engines parked on a highway. They were listed in good condition at Arrowhead Regional Hospital, said Peters.

The blaze blackened about 6,000 acres of brush and forest land and destroyed one structure. It was only 15 percent contained Tuesday, and was about a quarter-mile away from the Oak Hill and Summit Valley communities. No evacuations had been ordered.

"A lot of people are terrified," said Perry Van, 42, of Pinon Hills, about 10 miles west of the fire.

Because of the fire, I-15 was closed, but it was too early to tell what, if any, effect it would have on traffic to Las Vegas.

June is an important month for Las Vegas tourism, AAA Nevada spokeswoman Lisa Foster said.

"I haven't heard of any impact yet," she said. "But it could potentially have a significant impact."

Foster could not remember another time when I-15, the most heavily traveled artery from Southern California into Las Vegas, was closed for as long.

I-15 is the most direct route from Southern California, said Kevin Haney, public affairs officer for the California Highway Patrol. For many travelers, closing the freeway near Cajon Pass represents a daylong setback as driving the nearest alternative, Interstate 5, can mean a detour of hundreds of miles.

"When you close that freeway, it's a long way around it," he said.

In southwestern Colorado, a 26,700-acre fire near Durango forced the evacuation of 700 homes Monday. Since Saturday, residents have left 1,700 homes in the hills north of town, and at least one home has burned.

Forty miles southwest of Denver, the largest wildfire in the state's history settled down during the night with cooler temperatures, but highs in the 90s were forecast again Tuesday afternoon, with wind of 10 to 20 mph. "We don't know what might happen later this afternoon," fire information officer Tim Evans said.

Sun reporter Stephen Curran and The Associated Press contributed to this story.