Jill V Dae

9:00 PM Update: Baker Incident ⚠️ Northbound I-15 Remains Closed with Hard Closure at Afton Canyon ⚠️CHP is advising they will be alternating traffic along the southbound lanes to allow traffic to flow north and south. Follow direction of on scene CHP officers and use caution while driving in the area The northbound I-15 remains closed with a hard closure at Afton Canyon as the Baker Incident continues to impact the area. The fire, which has been burning for roughly 14 hours, continues to pose significant challenges. Heavy equipment and additional resources have arrived on scene, and a comprehensive plan has been initiated to address the incident. One of the significant challenges in this remote area is the logistics of transporting equipment, personnel, and water to the scene. This area of the county is very distant from many of our stations, and the required equipment and personnel have extended ETA’s. The current traffic conditions have further increased these response times. San Bernardino County Fire is working closely with Caltrans, utilizing heavy equipment from both agencies to manage the situation. The primary objective is to maintain public safety, which is why the hard closure is in place. Lithium-ion fires are particularly hazardous due to the chemicals released during off-gassing and the potential for thermal runaway. Thermal runaway can cause the fire to spread rapidly and emit toxic gases, making it essential to handle the situation with extreme caution. ▶️ Current Operations Crews are currently working on improving the ground and grading a large berm adjacent to the container to facilitate its safe removal from the freeway into open land. This operation requires dozers to grade the area, allowing the container, which is estimated to weigh between 60,000 to 70,000 pounds, to be moved safely. Firefighters, while making entry with protective gear, are evaluating the integrity of the container itself. The priority at this point is to maintain public safety and reopen the freeway. Once this is accomplished, crews will move on to the next steps for final completion. We are also addressing any potential environmental impacts from the hazmat and chemical components involved. Our teams are working with federal cooperators from the Bureau of Land Management, as their jurisdiction is directly adjacent to the freeway location. Steps are being taken to ensure that the incident doesn’t spread into the adjacent vegetation. We understand the inconvenience this closure may cause and appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation. Our teams are working diligently to mitigate the incident and hope that CHP will be able to open the NB I-15 as soon as it is safe to do so.