Idyllwild-area fire continues to burn; Jazz in the Pines goes on

More than 550 firefighters spent the night working to keep in check a wildfire that burned more than 2,200 acres and was about 10 percent contained today.

Firefighting aircraft, including a Martin Mars tanker on loan from Canada, resumed water drops at first light. More resources were expected over the next few days.

Despite the fire buring about 20 miles from town, the 16th annual Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines festival was scheduled to go forward as planned today, with headliner Mindi Abair set to take the stage about 2:30 p.m.

The Cottonwood Fire started shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday about 10 miles east of Hemet, and flames raced up the tinder-dry foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains as temperatures pushed well past 100 degrees.

Humidity levels dropped as low as 3 percent at times.

The fire may have started about a quarter-mile east of Bee Canyon with a transformer problem or a downed electrical line, but fire officials have yet to give a cause.

Despite adverse fire conditions, the winds were light — generally less than 5 mph.

Evacuations ordered for homes along Willowbrook Road in Valle Vista about 9 a.m. Friday were lifted by about 3:30 that afternoon.

Homes in Bee Canyon also were temporarily threatened Thursday night and fire officials said voluntary evacuations of about a dozen homes in Bee Canyon remain in place as of 7 a.m. today.

The western flank of the blaze was the most intense. Fire officials said the area had not burned for 11 years. Firefighters also struggled with the steep, rocky terrain.

The fire burned on both sides of state Route 74, and prompted the California Highway Patrol to close the highway from Borco Street in Valle Vista to state Route 243 in Mountain Center.

Motorists heading to Idyllwild were advised to use Interstate 10 to Banning and then state Route 243, which was open in Banning, according to the CHP. State route 74 is also open east of Mountain Center, allowing travel between Idyllwild and the Coachella Valley.

Idyllwild and Pine Cove were evacuated in 1996 because of the Bee Canyon Fire, which charred around 10,000 acres, Idyllwild firefighter Scott Carlson said.

Tags: idyllwild fire, SWRNN, u.s. forest service

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