‘It was everything we worked for, and now it’s gone’: Family heartbroken after fire destroys home, kills 3 dogs 

A vegetation fire in San Bernardino burned multiple hillside homes to the ground on Monday, devastating multiple families including one who lost their three beloved dogs. 

The fast-moving blaze, dubbed the Edgehill Fire, broke out at 2:40 p.m. near the 3000 block of Beverly Drive and forced evacuations for all residents living on the south side of Ridge Line Drive, San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesperson Eric Sherwin said Monday. 

Residents living on the north side of Edgehill Road west to Beverly Drive and east to Circle Road were also ordered to evacuate, according to Cal Fire. 

The community most affected by the blaze, Little Mountain, is “not unaccustomed” to fire, Sherwin said, adding that by the time fire crews arrived on scene, many people were already evacuating. 

Sky5 video showed several homes burned down to their foundations, including the residence of the Hernandez family, whose three dogs – Arnie, Vinnie and Mookie – were home alone when the blaze broke out. 

“My husband and I bought this house almost three-and-a-half years ago,” Erika Hernandez said.  “We were first-time homebuyers, and we were so happy about this house.” 

“It was everything we worked for, and now it’s gone,” she added. 

As of early Tuesday morning, the 100-acre fire was 75% contained, fire officials said. More than 200 firefighters were assigned to the blaze on Monday afternoon, and crews remained in the area overnight to extinguish the flames. 

KTLA 5’s Carlos Herrera spoke with Sherwin on Tuesday morning, who emphasized the importance of the overnight firefight.

“That was our goal last night knowing that we were going to have some recovery in the overnight hours with lower temperatures,” Sherwin said. “And the fact that we got our containment from 25 up to 75% speaks not only to the work of the firefighters but taking advantage of those low temperatures.”

Evacuation orders remained in effect for all residents Tuesday except those living on Ridge Line Drive, but in an update issued shortly before 9 p.m. Monday, the San Bernardino Police Department said that the fire was “very much under control.” 

An evacuation center for impacted residents was set up at Cajon High School. A person was detained and then released in connection to the fire, police added. 

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

The interview with San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesperson Eric Sherwin can be viewed below.