i-15 southbound and northbound. once a fire, or snow, any kind of natural disaster really hits the freeway system there, it is a disaster for the people commuting. so, if they're on top of the hill, they got to stay up there for the rest of the evening. if they are at the bottom, then they can't get up the hill if they got to go home. looking at a live picture from our sister station, those are flames, this is an active scene in the cajon pass acres. i'm going to toss it to the weather center now. we're actually out here at live drive on the 15, just approaching state line right now. we're showing, we're about 165 miles away from the northbound start of the closure for this fire, moving extremely fast.

progressively jumping, grew 1,000 acres in an hour. a fast-moving fire. jumping the 15 would be a big issue. that firefighters are going to be dealing with. we're trying to get there to get a better eye. traffic keeps moving further and further north. heading down there, keeping an eye on the traffic situation. tricia, you talk about knowing this was an issue. >> let's talk about that, ia right now, we have conventions in town, the magic show, and a lot of people really need this interstate open to get back. first of all, what are you seeing out there as far as the traffic coming into las vegas? how is it looking right now? and any idea of when this will be contained, and this interstate will be back open? >> reporter: yeah. this is a look out our front

pretty smoothly northbound. no issues. we're still 160, or so miles away from where those closures are starting. the people trying to come into town, the detours around there can take hours, if you can't take the 15. megan was talking about that a minute ago, going between las vegas and southern california. the detours can take hours to gets around. firefighters are trying to get a handle on this. the fire is really growing, they're working to get all the resources they can down to that area to t this fire. so it can take time, as with that north fire back in july of 2015, it burnt those cars on the 15, not creating a big issue. that's a big worry with firefighters getting their -- wanting to make sure everyone gets out safe, and then they'll start working on contain many. that is their number one issue, getting everybody save, and work on containment lines for the fire. >> that is dramatic. people loved everything, their

happened a year ago. we're hoping that none of that happens, and those aren't the pictures that you see when you get down there. i don't think so at this point. it does look like traffic is moving smoothly. brian? >> reporter: yeah. it is. and we're still moving it at the normal 65 miles per hour now. you probably can't read the sign, i-15 closed in california at cajon pass. we are coming past the traffic sign on lines. they're already letting drivers know. they are likely to remain in place for some time as they try to get a handle on this fire. drivers are getting a pretty early warning. you are getting to state line about now. so we are getting these warnings now to drivers, people need to be prepared, if they can avoid making this drive, they will probably want to today.

thank you so much, bryan callahan reporting. you can see what's happening. let's go back to megan telles in the breaking news center for the latest. >> we are following the blue cut fire burning at 2500 acres now. we have bryan callahan in route, also jena. we are on top of this. i want lynn from the u.s. forest services. can you hear me? >> yes, i can. >> the san bernardino national forest burning at this rate. what does it mean? >> of the dry vegetation and the continued drought that we've been in, conditions are extreme. the fire is burning very hot, very rapid. >> right. and we can see that from the live picture from our sister station. what is your recommendation to people who are in the area right now who maybe have not evacuated, who are watching? >> if you are ordered to

would consider the ramifications if you don't evacuate. we might be impeding on the firefighters. they won't be able to get in. if you're trying to get out, and they're trying to get in, they might not be able to get to your house, if the road is too clogged up. >> and we just saw what looks like flames about to jump what looks like a the forest, how rapidly has it burned? how easy is it to go up to flames and continue to burn 2,500 acres? >> with these kind of conditions, it is really, we are currently at 6500 acres, so this is a very fast-moving fire. >> it is. it is. we can agree with that. thank you so much, lyn.

at the scene. >> what do you have for us, leslie? >> megan, right now, we do know this is a very active fluid situation. right now, we are here at the tj maxx of north durango. this is a very active fluid situation. we do know that we've s several people come out of the t.j. maxx. we don't know if they are the initial customers hiding inside. last check with metro, they say it's believed one suspect is still inside that t.j. maxx. they got reports around 1:30 that two suspects possibly had gone in, one armed. they started waving a gun at employees, as well as customers. metro has told us they have one person detained. do not know if that was the suspect. the other suspect believed to be

we're waiting to hear if everyone has been evacuated from there. if you are heading to this area, or believe you have any family members that were inside the store, call metro first. if not, contact one of the police officers around this area, let them know you may be a family member. at this time, they say if you have no business around this area, don't come down here, because they have evacuated most of the stores, in the immediate area. reporting live, 13 action news. >> that's a very busy popular shopping mall. we'll be right back after this break w story, and the latest on the blue cut fire.

we're continuing our breaking news coverage. you're looking at live pictures, this is moving very fast. it's now up to 5500 acres. this blue cut fire is now burning out of control. homes have been evacuated in the area. parts of interstate 15 shut down to traffic going in and out of southern california. and also, we want to show you pictures of last year, something very smaller inside. all right, we're still looking at the blue cut fire, which is obviously very, very dramatic. it's burning very quickly. at least one elementary school closed. one home has been burned. dramatic pictures of a cross burning. there is a total assault on this fire at this hour with the san

retardant, and water going down. refueling, in hopes of containing this wildfire at this hour. so far, it is burning out of control, 5500 acres. let's check in with bryan schofield. >> people saw that haze hanging over the valley, we're like a bowl. we're not seeing that. today, it' little time for that to get here. it is not out of the question to get here tomorrow. we'll be watching the southwesterly flow kicking in. and 23 to 31 miles per hour, it makes a difference, propelling that out of the southwest, which is where it's sitting now and bringing some of that smoke and some of that soot here. we're talking about propelling it into our neighborhoods by tomorrow at soonest. for the most part we won't see

mostly in san bernardino this evening. tonight, 13 miles per hour, about 5:00 p.m. dropping to 8. things settingal -- settle down. thank you, brian. we are following the blue cut fire, we've been following it since 11:00 a.m., this morning. it is now after 3:00. you know, i remember when it was 1,500 acres. now it went up to 2,500. now we're you may remember retired fire chief bryan, who was on the phone earlier, we're texting now. he says the fire, yes, is definitely beyond 5500 acres. it's gotten disconnected. meaning that it's jumped railroads, and jumped a freeway. which is a scary situation for everyone involved. like tricia mentioned, one school definitely on lockdown. we see the flames, there you go, and the smoke billowing there.

point when you're looking at your screen. this started at 11:00 a.m., when it was 1,500 acres. now we're at 5500 acres. they call this a perfect storm. high winds in southern california. this time of year. this isn't uncommon. these wildfires are not uncommon this time of year. it is that commute that becomes so daunting this time of day. we are reaching that 5:00 rush hour along people working down the pass, you need to come up the hill to victorville to come home, they may not be able to tonight. and vice versa for the people at the top of the hill. they need to come down to san bernardino county. this is an intense scene. we are looking at video from our sister station in los angeles. the smoke has definitely increased since around 1:00 when we hit the air. you see right there, we have a

going down, all that red stuff. the smoke, we have the black smoke. all right, we're going to go ahead and send it back out to live drive with brian callaghan. you are in route, what are you seeing? >> yeah. we're out here at 15 now, just getting here. it's still traffic moving fairly smoothly. not seeing much northbound traffic though. we are starting to see some of the closure of 15. people not being able north there through cajon pass. i mean, i can't remember the last time i saw one or two cars on the road heading north into town. we are likely starting to see some of the lessened traffic from the 15 closed, 5500 acres in five hours. fire moving incredibly fast. we're seeing reports from abc7

road. all these evacuations, clear the roads for these firefighters moving in to get there. we're going to be conscious of that heading to the fire keeping an eye on the traffic situation heading down there. it is looking like it's going to create traffic nightmares down there through cajon pass, keeping an eye on that today. bryan callahan, 13 action news. back here at the breaking news center, this is a blue cut higher. we are on top of it wall-to-wall, we ha in road. a live picture, we'll end it on this. our sister station in los angeles tracking the cajon pass and what the fire looks like that.

we're staying on top of that breaking news in centennial hills, we're hearing reports of

us a bird's-eye view. joining us by phone is stacy. a groomer from wolfgang bakery and grooming. thank you for joining us. can you hear me? >> yes, i can. >> reporter: what is your situation now? >> honestly, it looks like... >> earlier, we heard you weren't allowed to leave, is that true? >> correct. >> you seem pretty calm, cool, and collected, which is a g thing. what are you seeing, and hearing? >> [[indiscernible]. >> you know, stacy, we're going to have to come back to you. we're unable to hear you. we're going to stay on top of this. lesley marin is out there. tricia, back to you. >> just like that, and we

angle. parker collins was on the ground and got caught up in the dust. >> overnight, we were stationed right over there at the travel lodge. the implosion happened feet away. you can see the piles of rubble it left behind. there wasn't even a countdown, there were people out here celebrating. >> police were tell us stay off the street and the sidewalks because of people were hanging off the rails, standing on cars to get a good view. >> it brought tears to my eyes. i was there the day they closed the doors. it is bittersweet. >> the first was imploded about two months ago. this is the final implosion, meaning the riviera is no more on the strip. parker collins, 13 action news. >> a piece of history. >> don't say that with such a smile. >> that's the way we do.

>> we've been talking a lot about this fire in san bernardino county. we want to talk a little bit about our local -- >> we got heat, still wind, a lot of heat. show you those peak gusts. so far not as impressive as yesterday's 35 mile-per-hour. 24 for mccarran. 28 boulder city. peak gusts stronger, interesting, out of the southwest. that's what we'll maybe propel all that smoke here, could be as late as tonight. i 14 mile-per-hour winds there, gusts to 24. 106. we so far topped off at 108. we've seen so many 110 pluses. 17. back to 1994 last time we had that many. 22 years ago to have that many. 17, not in a row, but close enough. so many of them this year. there's the set-up with the moisture. we wouldn't be talking about smoke from fire if we were

monsoon. take a look, desert closer in, nothing brewing here. let me show you a computer model that says don't count it out yet. through wednesday, 5:00 p.m., keeping it away. from thursday, not bad, it looks like it starts to enter the air closer to friday, maybe outside through mojave county. futurecast keeping it out of the area. humidity will be touch and g.81 g.81 -- go. 81. 107 for tomorrow. notice, i've been talking about a cooldown, going to take a day or two to get here. 107. so far we've topped off at 108. we'll keep the southwesterly winds in, and that fire has to keep going and we'll have a chance to grab some of those par particulate matters.

valley, it looked ugly. that's enough for sensitive groups if you have respiratory issues, that's the groups we talk about. we're not generally talking about anybody else, with all the smoke and soot we've seen from previous fires. and we hope it doesn't get to that level. for the weekend, here's the set-up, dropping temperatures down, that is a legitimate cooldown, high pressure won't be as strong. that's the good news. granted, it's 4, 5?. we'll take everything we can get. next week we might start to see a little more moisture back into the forecast area. that c how it feels, and certainly getting thunderstorms in. in the meantime, tomorrow, thursday, going to keep some of the breezes, finally start seeing high pressure weaken. we'll still get more of that ocean influence and the southwesterly flow will propel some of that smoke our way. how much is still a question mark, how much we can get across the valley. if we had a wind shift that would push it to sea that would make a difference. or a southfully flow. temperatures drop.

low-level moisture, which is humidity, a lot of that will have to maybe throw down some thunderstorm activity for earth next week. in the meantime, dry through the upcoming weekend. tricia. >> thank you very much. we are staying on top of breaking news. we want to take you to the blue cut fire, which is burning wild at this time. it is now up to 5500 acres at the cajon pass in san bernardino county. again, 5500 acres. it is moving quickly area. one home at least has been destroyed in all of this. interstate 15 closed in both directions. and we are keeping a very close eye as this continues to spread in that area. also, we have an s.w.a.t. situation this afternoon that we've been keeping a very close eye on as well. that's happening at the t.j. maxx store in centennial hills at durango and elkhorn. we've been on top of this story, and we are going to continue, we

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as your kids start heading back to school, changes aren't far from everybody's minds. some say reorganizing the district is what's best for students. 13 action news reporter tells us others are worried for their jobs. >> reporter: it was a packed house today, as lawmakers discussed the changes coming to valley schools. they recently approved a preliminary plan to break up the school those in favor will put more focus on the individual needs of each student and will ignore underperforming schools. those against say they're worried it could mean less money tore schools, and it could mean some are out of a job. >> we're looking at support staff being out of a job. what would happen is a private contractor could be brought in, with employees that are not from the community, not from the neighborhood, have no relations to our kids. >> this discussion will continue

will continue to be made, until plans are finalized before the next school year. 13 action news. and those in favor of the organization argue there's nothing in the plan that will take those jobs away. we'll hear more at 5:00. we're continuing to closely monitor that wildfire burning right now in southern california. this is called the blue cut fire in 5500 acres have charred so