Edgehill fire that destroyed 5 homes, damaged others in San Bernardino is 75% contained (2024)

A quick-moving wildfire that destroyed five homes and damaged several others in San Bernardino was 75% contained as of Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 6, authorities said.

Firefighters stopped forward progress of the Edgehill fire, burning on Little Mountain, at 54 acres Monday afternoon, San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesman Eric Sherwin said.

“Firefighters took advantage of the cooler temperatures (overnight),” Sherwin said.

A chopper flies over a burning home as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Brian Spears, Contributing photographer)

A home burns as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Brian Spears, Contributing photographer)

A home is destroyed as the Edgehill fire in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters put out the smoldering remains of homes on Vista Drive in San Bernardino during a brush fire on Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

A home is destroyed as the Edgehill fire in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

The remains of a home destroyed by the Edgehill fire still in flames in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

The remains of a home destroyed by the Edgehill fire in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Smoke of the Edgehill fire fills the sky in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

The remains of a home destroyed by the Edgehill fire still in flames in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Locals of the Little Mountain neighborhood watch as the Edgehill fire slowly lowers its flames in San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

A firefighter watches from Edgehill Road as firefighters put out a brush fire that burned a house on Vista Drive in San Bernardino on Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

The remains of a home destroyed by the Edgehill fire still in flames in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

The remains of a home destroyed by the Edgehill fire still in flames in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Little Mountain local, Kristian Ruiz cools down from a fire hydrant spray as the Edgehill fire dies down in San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Local neighborhood patrons spray water on surrounding areas during the Edgehill fire in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino, on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

The remains of a home destroyed by the Edgehill fire still in flames in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

A firefighter watches from Edgehill Road as firefighters put out a brush fire that burned a house on Vista Drive in San Bernardino on Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters continue working as the Edgehill fire burns in the Little Mountain neighborhood of San Bernardino and forces evacuations on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun)

Firefighters put out the smoldering remains of homes on Vista Drive in San Bernardino during a brush fire on Aug. 5, 2024. (Brian Rokos, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

A firefighter watches from Edgehill Road as firefighters put out a brush fire that burned a house on Vista Drive in San Bernardino on Aug. 5, 2024. (Brian Rokos, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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Five single-family homes and an outbuilding were destroyed while three other homes were damaged, Sherwin said. Investigators have determined the fire was human caused.

“We’ve ruled out natural causes,” he said. “This will be a human-caused fire. The investigation is ongoing.

“We’re not sure if it was intentional, accidental or (negligence),” Sherwin said. “They’re still working their way through that.”

The fire was first reported just after 2:45 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5, in the 3300 block of Beverly Drive at about 5 acres, but quickly spread east through light brush on a slope.

Burning close to homes, authorities quickly called for evacuations and set up an evacuation center. Those orders were lifted at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sherwin said, though some restrictions remained on Circle Road, Cuesta Lane and Hillhurst Drive due to fire apparatus and utilities work in those areas.

Crews fighting the fire faced 109-degree temperatures when they arrived and were being challenged by tough access to homes on the hill’s narrow roads, Sherwin said. The flames were swept to the east by 8- to 10-mph winds.

Sherwin said residents quickly moved out of the way of the blaze and the fire engines.

“Here on Little Mountain, it’s much like a mountain community,” Sherwin said, “with narrow roads that can present access issues for our engine companies. They know when fire starts, they need to get out.”

Robert Christian, 26, was sitting in the living room of his I Street home when his 12-year-old brother Matthew Romero burst in and alerted him to the fire.

Their home sits at the base of Little Mountain.

The family rushed outside and saw the flames moving swiftly from where they believed the fire started, at a power pole behind a home on Edgehill Road.

“It just flew east,” Christian said. “It just started going crazy.”

Within hours, forward progress of the fire was stopped, authorities said, later saying in a statement that “the fire is very much under control.”

A person of interest was detained in connection with the fire Monday evening, Aug. 5, but was later released, San Bernardino Police Sgt. Christopher Gray said.

One firefighter was taken to a hospital for treatment of a minor injury and released, Sherwin said.

Originally Published: August 6, 2024 at 7:41 a.m.