The Blue Cut wild fire that hit the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County on Tuesday has burned more than 25,000 acres and called for the evacuation of 82,000 people in the surrounding area. The fire has not directly affected the production of fresh produce in Southern California, though road closures may complicate the transportation of goods for some shippers.
As of Wednesday, firefighters only had four percent of the fire contained. The fire spread quickly through the area of Cajon Junction, going as far south as Lytle Creek. Residents were quickly evacuated, with calls for 82,000 people to leave the area. Though devastating for residents living near Cajon Junction, the blaze has yet to reach Southern California agricultural production.
“The fire is right in the mountains, and there's not much growing there because it's kind of a canyon area,” said Kim Ashlock with Barth Farms in Ontario, California, which is about 30 miles south of Cajon Junction. “Right now, the fire is hitting structures around the freeway, so we hope it doesn't travel far enough to where it affects us because there's a lot of stuff between us and the fire.”
The blaze closed down several roads, most notably Interstate 15, which is the main artery between the greater Los Angeles Area and Las Vegas, Nevada. Shipments toward Nevada will have to be redirected in the meantime, though goods moving throughout California and east into the interior of the country seem to be unaffected.
“Most produce goes west through Los Angeles, or, if it's going out of state, it goes east through the 10,” explained Ashlock. “The fire is north of us, and produce here typically goes either east or west.”