Have you smelled smoke in Temecula recently? If so, it’s probably because of one of the many fires burning in Southern California. Thankfully none of them are super close, but there are still so many people affected by them. California is also suffering because of these natural disasters. Here is an overview and update of these fires.
Bridge Fire
The Bridge fire began on September 8th in Los Angeles County, in Angeles National Forest, It has now burned over 54,000 acres and as of 9/19 is 49% contained. This fire has burnt into San Bernardino County. It has taken down many houses and even a ski resort called Mount High. There have been over 81 structures destroyed and 4 firefighters injured.
Line Fire
September 5th was the beginning of the line fire in San Bernardino, which has burnt almost 40,000 acres of land and the smoke is slowly traveling North, expected to soon reach and impact Big Bear. One structure had been destroyed, but no people died in the fire, though 4 firefighters have been injured. Police believe a man named Justin Wayne Halstenberg had committed arson, but in court, he has pleaded not guilty for now. With 60% contained as of 9/19, this fire is very active and still spreading.
Airport Fire
The Airport fire began in Rancho Santa Margarita on September 9th, seemingly close to many houses. It has burned across all of Ortega Highway, which leads over to Lake Elsinore. It began when workers were using heavy equipment ironically for fire prevention and it sparked on the mountain. It is almost 24,000 acres large and 70% of that has been contained. As of September 21st, this fire is in the two counties of Orange County and Riverside and as the number slowly increases, 19 firefighters have been injured.
The Harm to California
These are the 3 main fires in SoCal, but over 2024, we have had over 6,206 wildfires that have destroyed almost a million acres of land. These fires have given off a lot of Carbon Dioxide and over 1.2 billion metric tons of Greenhouse Gas-which can affect climate change. It also has destroyed many forests and grasslands, and many animals are left without their habitat and food.
In conclusion, these fires have affected many, including us. There was massive amounts of smoke and ash in the air which made some people sick. Some schools even had to cancel for the day. Do you know anyone affected by these fires? Leave a comment below!
Sources:
Cal Fire. “Welcome to Cal Fire.” Ca.gov, 2019, www.fire.ca.gov/.
Cázares, Christian. “Difficult Days.” Total Number of Injured Firefighters in Airport Fire Grows.” NBC Los Angeles, NBC Southern California, 21 Sept. 2024,
