The U.S. Forest Service announced Sunday that the cause of the Lake Fire, which burned 31,359 acres, was caused by humans, although the exact cause is still under investigation. Although the fire is 98 percent contained, contained does not mean “out” and smoke from the Lake Fire can still be seen on occasion. Distant smoke over the weekend caused some concern locally.
In addition, two fires, one near Mentone, the other near Angelus Oaks, ignited Sunday along Highway 38, burning acres of brush, threatening homes and closing the mountain roadway to traffic. Another wildfire in San Timoteo Canyon burned 70 acres of unincorporated land between Redlands and Moreno Valley. Both fires along Highway 38 were reported shortly after 2:30 p.m. The more southern of the two, dubbed the Mill 2 Fire, had been limited to 35 acres and was 10 percent contained last night, according the U.S. Forest Service. The other blaze, located about two miles south of Angelus Oaks, was dubbed the Motorcycle Fire because motorcycle crash ignited it. Firefighters knocked it down before it could spread to a full acre. At least three helicopters and four tankers were battling the Mill 2 Fire, which reportedly was burning in brush and grass at a moderate rate of spread. The tankers had to halt retardant drops for a short period because a drone was spotted above the fire, authorities reported.
