A fire broke out near Waterman Canyon at the northern end of San Bernardino early Thursday, officials said.
The blaze, dubbed the Hillside Fire, was reported about 1:30 a.m. along Highway 18, at Lower Waterman Canyon, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department. It had consumed more than 200 acres less than an hour later.
Firefighters got in positions for structure defense as they worked to douse the flames but aerial video from Sky5 showed at least four homes engulfed in flames.
Some of the worst damage occurred at homes near Monte Drive and Viento Way in the North Park area. At least one home was also seen burning near Lupin Lane and Saturn Court.
Officials have not given an estimate on the number of homes damaged or destroyed.
One man, who was helping family members evacuate was wondering when the wildfires will stop. “The whole state is on fire … Who’s gonna be next,” he said.
The intersection of Monte Drive and Viento Way is seen in this image from Google Maps.
Mandatory evacuations are in place for areas north of 50th Street between Highway 18 and Mayfield Avenue.
It was not immediately clear how many homes were affected.
An evacuation center was set up at Pacific High School, 1020 Pacific Street in San Bernardino.
Officials have requested the closure of Highway 18 heading into the mountains.
Firefighters are contending with 20 to 30 mph winds with gusts up to 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service. A high wind warning is in place until about noon, when winds are expected to subside. A red flag warning has also been issued for the area until 6 p.m.
About 350 firefighters are on the scene of the fire, according to a tweet from the San Bernardino National Forest. A night flying air attack and water-dropping helicopter are working on the fire.
San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesperson Chris Prater said a request has been made for additional ground and air help. “The more resources we can get on this the better off we’ll be,” Prater said.
All San Bernardino Unified School District schools are still expected to be open, officials posted about 4:45 a.m.
Another brush fire burned in the area last week. The Old Water fire scorched more than 100 acres after starting near Old Waterman Canyon Road and Highway 18 on Oct. 24.
No cause for the Hillside Fire has been determined.
Check back for updates on this developing story.