MOUNTAIN FIRE: 14,200 Acres Now Burned, 21 Structures Destroyed

For Wednesday July 17 updates on the Mountain Fire click here.

Update 8 a.m. The United States Forest Service reports Wednesday morning that the fire near Mountain Center and Idyllwild has burned an estimated 14,200 acres.

According to the latest incident report, the Mountain Fire is still estimated at 10 percent contained.

"It is currently burning east of the Mountain Center and Apple Canyon Areas," the USFS report states.  "It is burning in very steep and rugged terrain in the southern portion of the San Jacinto Wilderness along the Desert Divide and in the Apple Canyon and Bonita Vista Areas."

The fire was first reported two days ago, on July 15, near the junction of Highways 243 and 74.

Highway 243-- which had been closed because of its proximity to the fire-- has been reopened.  Mandatory evacuations remain in place for Camp Ronald McDonald and the Palm Springs-area housing community of Andreas Canyon Club.

As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, the following resources were assigned to the firefighting efforts:

• 2,241 firefighters
• 98 engines
• 15 helicopters
• 10 fixed wing aircraft, including a DC-10
• 73 hand-crews
• 6 water-tenders
• 10 bulldozers

It wasn't immediately clear if any additional structures burned overnight, but the following has been damaged or destroyed by the blaze so far: 

• Bonita Vista - 3 mobile homes and 3 residences were destroyed, 1 residence sustained damage.
• Pine Springs - 1 commercial building, a workshop, garage, and cabin were destroyed.
• Zen Mountain Center - No damages.
• Various Surrounding Areas-  11 outbuildings and 4-6 vehicles destroyed.

"It is important to note that while homes and buildings were destroyed or damaged, firefighters were able to defend and save a larger number of homes," the Forest Service reported.

Tuesday Update 7:59 p.m. The fire near Mountain Center was mapped at an estimated 9,000 acres before sundown Tuesday, and more than 2,200 personnel aided by 25 aircraft were assigned to the blaze, according to a Forest Service update before 8 p.m. July 16.

The fire had destroyed 21 structures, including homes, mobile homes and outbuildings. It started before 2 p.m. Monday July 15 near the junction of Highway 243 and SR 74.

Mandatory evacuations remained in effect for the Living Free Animal Sanctuary, the Fleming Ranch, Bonita Vista, the Zen Mountain Center, and for Andreas Canyon Club, south of Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

The fire was considered 10 percent contained. Its cause remained under investigation.

Update 6 p.m. As the Mountain Fire continued raging Tuesday southeast of Idyllwild, damage assessment teams came up with the following summary of property damaged and destroyed by the fast-moving blaze that started Monday near Highway 243 and SR 74:

The Bonita Vista and Pine Springs neighborhoods lie near the end of Apple Canyon Road and they took the brunt of the Mountain Fire when it ripped east over a stretch of about four linear miles in a few hours on July 15.

In Bonita Vista, three residences and three mobile homes were destroyed, and one residence sustained damages, Forest Service officials said in a Tuesday afternoon update.

In Pine Springs, one commercial building, a workshop, garage, and cabin were destroyed.

"In addition to the above residences, there was a total of 11 outbuildings and 4-6 vehicles destroyed," Forest Service officials said.

Further up Apple Canyon Road, there were no damages at the Zen Mountain Center. But the massive Apple Canyon watershed was devastated by the fire.

"It is important to note that while homes and buildings were destroyed or damaged, firefighters were able to defend and save a larger number of homes," Forest Service officials said their update.

"It is always important to remind homeowners that homes and building with proper clearances and fuels abatements always give firefighters better opportunities to successfully defend and save those homes, especially when defending those homes in the face of an advancing fire front."

The active fire and its smoldering burned area remained estimated at 8,000 acres Tuesday afternoon, and it was still considered 10 percent contained. But the blaze continued consuming fuel on mountain slopes and throwing up black, white, brown and gray plumes of smoke from multiple ridges east of Mountain Center.

Highway 243 was closed between Saunders Meadow Road and the junction with SR 74. Mandatory evacuations remained in effect for the Living Free Animal Sanctuary, the Fleming Ranch, Bonita Vista, the Zen Mountain Center, and for Andreas Canyon Club, south of Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

More than 600 personnel remained assigned to fire Tuesday afternoon. They came from communities including Oak Glen, Big Bear, Murrieta, Santa Barbara, Arroyo Grande, and Poppet Flats.

Update 11: 50 a.m. Mandatory evacuation orders are now in place for a Palm Springs housing community, according to the U.S. Forest Service. 

According to the agency's latest fire update, orders to evacuate are in place for the Andreas Canyon Club-- affecting a total of 24 homes south of Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. 

Update 11 a.m. A fire that started Monday in the Mountain Center area south of Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains has now consumed an estimated 8,000 acres, the U.S. Forest Service reports.

The Mountain Fire, which is burning at a "rapid spread through timber and chapparal" is still only 10 percent contained, according to the latest incident report issued by the agency.

Approximately 650 firefighting personnel remain assigned to the suppression efforts at this time.

The U.S.F.S. says the fire has "extreme" growth potential.

Posted 10:15 a.m. A fire that started Monday in the Mountain Center area south of Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains had burned an estimated 4,700 acres and it was considered 10 percent contained as of 9 a.m. Tuesday July 16, according to the Forest Service.

Mandatory evacuations were in place for residents in Fleming Ranch, Bonita Vista and Pine Springs Ranch, and there were damaged or destroyed structures in the same area near the end of Apple Canyon Road.

There were 650 fire personnel including 43 engine crews, 10 tanker planes and 6 helicopters assigned to the fire, according to the Forest Service.

The fire was first reported at 1:43 p.m. July 15 near the 243 and the 74 and it grew rapidly from 5 acres to more than a thousand by nightfall Monday.

The fire threat to Idyllwild was considered minimal Tuesday morning, due to the eastern direction winds were carrying the blaze, USFS spokesman Bob Poole said at incident command in Mountain Center.

"The only threat is if the winds shift radically, and that is not in the forecast," Poole said.

Evacuation centers were set up at Hemet High School and Hamilton High School in Anza.

To read Monday coverage of the Mountain Fire click the following link:

MOUNTAIN FIRE UPDATE: Blaze Now Est. 2,400 Acres, Structure Damage Reported, Mandatory Evacs at Bonita Vista, Fleming Ranch, Animal Sanctuary