Rubaiya Karim
A wildfire, named Bitter Fire, broke out at 2:31 p.m. on Friday, June 14, 2025, on Bitter Water Road, at the crossroads of Bitter Water Valley Rd. in Shandon, San Luis Obispo County. Within a few hours, the dry grasslands and challenging weather accelerated the fire rapidly. By Sunday morning, the fire had engulfed over 1,600 acres of vegetation before being contained by the fire department.
Highlights
- On June 14, 2025, a fire broke out in San Luis Obispo County’s Bitter Water Road.
- A host of firefighting personnel on the ground and air tankers were used to control and put out the fire.
- As per official reports, no injuries or structural damage has been reported.
Firefighting Efforts Have Helped Contain the Fire Completely
Per San Luis Obispo County Fire Department officials, the fire mostly remained contained to the remote areas. Hence, no evacuations were necessary and no structural damage was reported. However, it required significant effort to stop further spread of the fire.
Firefighting crews from Cal Fire San Luis Obispo managed to slow the fire over the weekend with assistance from helicopters and air tankers that flew in from all over the state. An official update stated that ground crews battled high temperatures as well as shifting winds during this effort. A well-coordinated air and ground assault helped stop the progression of the fire in the first 24 hours.
The crews had to fortify the containment lines over the fire and surround the wildfire to declare it completely contained by Monday morning. Over 20 personnel and four fire engines were assigned to put out the blaze. According to Cal Fire’s latest update, at 10:01 p.m. on June 15, 2025, firefighters were still mopping up the site.
Cal Fire offers resources on its website citing the correct protocol to prevent getting caught up in wildfires. As wildfire season progresses, it is advisable to remain vigilant and prepared for any potential incidents. The investigation into the Bitter Fire is still underway.
