Late Monday night, San Bernardino County firefighters battled a house fire in Blue Jay that also threatened the surrounding woodland. The blaze, which consumed a two-story home in the 27000 block of Highway 189, was reported by 911 callers who saw both the house and surrounding trees engulfed in flames.
Upon arriving at the scene, fire personnel found the home "well involved in fire" with a risk to adjacent vegetation. The intensity of the blaze forced the firefighters to adopt a defensive strategy, attacking the fire while also seeking to shield nearby areas. According to San Bernardino County Fire's official Facebook page, one person was found outside the building with minor burns, received treatment from an ambulance on the scene, and was transported to a local hospital.
Crews managed to contain the fire to the origin building and a small patch of vegetation despite the challenging conditions, including steep terrain. The fire was declared knocked down within 35 minutes, after which firefighters proceeded with overhaul operations and initiated an investigation into the cause, as stated on San Bernardino County Fire's Facebook page.
The response to the emergency included four engine companies, a medic ambulance, a battalion chief, and two fire investigators from the San Bernardino County Fire. CAL FIRE's unit from the San Bernardino/Inyo/Mono area also dispatched an engine due to the wildland threat. Information gathered from the scene suggests that firefighters operated from a defensive posture, laying hose lines to both suppress the large fire and protect surrounding structures.
In the wake of the fire, the San Bernardino County Fire provided the community with guidelines to establish a robust fire escape plan. Suggestions include drawing a home floor plan indicating multiple escape routes, accounting for individuals with disabilities, deciding on a safe gathering place post-escape, and the consideration of purchasing a collapsible ladder for second-story exits. These recommendations are outlined in detail on the Fire Department’s website, offering critical steps to enhance safety and preparedness such as practicing the escape plan regularly, using hands to check for hot doors, crawling beneath smoke, and stressing the importance of evacuating first before calling emergency services.
Specific instructions were also provided for residents living in apartment buildings, urging them to become familiar with and practice their building's evacuation strategies, always opt for stairs instead of elevators, and respond promptly to fire alarms. The San Bernardino County Fire Department emphasizes the vital need for preparation and practice in fire safety, urging residents to visit their site at sbcfire.co/homesafety for further information and home safety tips.
