5 homes burn, firefighters hurt in San Bernardino brush fire

A small but fast-moving fire on Saturday burned five homes in San Bernardino, prompting evacuations and the rapid deployment of 120 firefighters.

The fire, which started at about 1:12 pm along West Kendall Drive, was burning south of Cal State San Bernardino and north of Interstate 215. The San Bernardino Fire department estimated the size of the burned area at 8 to 10 acres, and by mid-afternoon, the fire appeared to be contained.

“We do have structure defense still in place,” said a fire department spokesman at the scene in a video he posted on the department’s Facebook page at 3:20 pm. “We do have some structures threatened, however, you can see that there’s progress … significant progress on this vegetation fire.”

The video showed firefighters watering a hillside that had burned up to the edge of hilltop properties, but no flames in sight.

A department update at about 3:45 pm called the fire 50% contained with its “forward rate of spread stopped.”

Authorities established a local evacuation center at 3900 North Severance Ave.

Four homes were totally destroyed and another damaged, officials said.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries, and one civilian suffered from smoke inhalation. One of the firefighters had to be hospitalized after rescuing a homeowner, just before flames claimed the structure.

The Kendall fire was one of several burning in California Saturday.

The Pine fire burning in the Sespe Wilderness north of Ojai has charred more than 1,450 acres, officials said Saturday.

The fire, which started in the Los Padres National Forest about 9 a.m. Thursday, is zero percent contained, officials said.

There are about 50 structures threatened but there are no mandatory evacuations in place, authorities said

The San  Bernardino blaze comes a week after deadly fires in Kern and San Diego counties destroyed more than 150 homes.

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UPDATES:

10:42 p.m.: This post was updated with a more complete description of damage and details about a firefighter saving a resident.

4:35 p.m.: This post has been updated with new information about damage and containment of fire.