As the commuters drive by on Hwy 111 the Snow fire burns in the hills just above Snow Creek Road north of Palm Springs. Photo by: Joyce Nugent 
Snow Fire started Thursday afternoon just north of Palm Srings on Snow Creek Road. The blaze is burning between Cabazon and Whitewater in the San Jacinto Wilderness. Photo by: Joyce Nugent 
Vihicles on HWY 111 drive by the hills blazing just north of Palm springs while residents of the Snow Creek area evacuate. Photos by: Joyce Nugent 
Billings Flying Service utilizes both external mounted fire buckets and belly tanks for fire suppression. They currently hold contracts with Oregon and California assist the United States Forest Service, Department of Interior, Montana DNRC, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Bureau of Land Management with fire suppression. Photo by: Joyce Nugent 
Fire crews work through the night Thursday to defend the small, unincorporated community of Snow Creek, northwest of Palm Springs, from the Snow Fire. The blaze is burning between Cabazon and Whitewater in the San Jacinto Wilderness and so far has destroyed 6,400 acres. Photo by: Joyce Nugent
By Joyce Nugent
The Snow Fire was ignited by a burning vehicle at around 2:30 pm Sept. 17.
By 7:30 pm the quick moving blaze had grown to 1,200 acres and evacuations were ordered for the small community of Snow Creek near Palm Springs.
The fire ballooned to 2,500 acres by Sept. 18. An evacuation order was issued for the Windy Point area.
The over 100-degree temperatures and gusts of up to 30 mph challenged over 200 firefighters, two helicopters and four air tankers.
“Air tankers are painting a red retardant line completely around the higher elevation to keep it boxed in so it doesn’t move forward downward into the Highway 111 corridor,” Cal Fire Captain Fernando Herrera told KESQ on Sept. 18.
The fire consumed 6,013 acres before the weekend was over and was only 20% contained.
Officials announced Sept. 23 that they expect full containment of the Snow Fire to by October 1. The fire crews protected 450 homes and the evacuation orders were lifted.
