A wildfire that started just after noon in Southern
California on Sunday had already consumed 1,500 acres by nightfall, according to
San Bernardino National Forest officials.
Known as the Pilot fire, the blaze ripped through dry
timber and brush in a mountainous area about 50 miles east of Los Angeles,
consuming more than two square miles of forest in just over 8 hours, with 0
percent containment as of the most recent update by firefighters.
Crews worked through the night and into Monday morning
to beat back the fast-moving inferno.
Officials have deployed 400 firefighters,
36 engines, 5 bulldozers, 8 helicopters and 8 air tankers to help bring the
situation under control.
The fire caused the closure of several highways
crossing the area, while mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents of
nearby Summit Valley.
