The Pilot Fire in the nearby San Bernardino Mountains continues to grow, The U.S. Forest service says as of this morning, August 10th, the fire had burned 7,861 acres and was 64 percent contained. The fire broke out about 12:10 p.m. Sunday at the Miller Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle area off Highway 138; the cause is unknown. Today, the fire is burning in chaparral and brush between Pilot Rock Ridge and State Highway 173 in Hesperia and continues to be mostly wind driven. A fire line has been constructed in the Summit Valley area. The fire crossed Hwy 173 in the Los Flores Ranch area. Firing operations were conducted along Hwy 173 near Deep Creek and progressed southeast toward the Hwy 173 closure gate near Burnt Flats. Yucca Valley Station 41 and Morongo Valley Fire Department each sent a brush engine, fire captain, engineer, and firefighter Sunday to help fight the fire, Crews are continuing to construct dozer line from Pilot Rock to the Lake Arrowhead Community Services District Wastewater Treatment Plant. Aircraft is being used to the extent possible, but visibility is a limiting factor. Thousands of residents in the Hesperia and Mountain areas are under both mandatory or voluntary evacuation.
