Cajon Pass fire grows to 800 acres; southbound lanes of I-15 still closed

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A brush fire along the Cajon Pass has grown to about 800 acres, with mandatory evacuations still in effect in some areas while the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 are expected to remain closed until at least Saturday morning, officials said.

Three northbound lanes of the interstate have reopened, but one remains closed until further notice, officials said. Motorists are advised to use alternative routes and avoid the pass.

About 200 firefighters, assisted by 13 aircraft, including a DC-10, were battling the blaze, said Bob Poole, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman. Crews from the U.S. Forest Service, the San Bernardino County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection were among those assisting in the fight, he said.

One structure has been damaged by the fire, but Poole said he didn’t yet know whether it was a home or an outbuilding.