A fast-moving wildfire in Cajon Pass in Southern California destroyed the Route 66 landmark Summit Inn restaurant on Tuesday night, confirmed several media outlets in the Los Angeles region.
The Los Angeles Times posted video from the scene as flames consumed the historic cafe.
The Facebook page for the Oak Hills restaurant posted this message late Tuesday:
KTLA-TV also shot video from the scene.
KCAL-TV also posted this report, which was more of a requiem:
Here are several tweets about the Summit Inn fire:
Deeply saddened at the loss of Summit Inn by the #BlueCutFire. Hope the owners rebuild. #Route66 people are tough! pic.twitter.com/Q4ahnkOzZe
— Elrond Lawrence (@El4short) August 17, 2016
At the historic Summit Inn in Oaks Hills, about all that’s left is the sign. #BlueCutFire @ABC7 11pm pic.twitter.com/bvP1iTtGBC
— Elex Michaelson (@abc7elex) August 17, 2016
Summit Inn is gone 🙁 #bluecutfire pic.twitter.com/Yr6f2jIwxo
— Stuart Palley (@stuartpalley) August 17, 2016
This is all that’s left of the historic Summit Inn at the top of the Cajon pass.#NewsChopper4 pic.twitter.com/rOjp42HxzP
— Will Kohlschreiber (@Will4News) August 17, 2016
The Facebook page of the Summit Inn announced its closing Tuesday afternoon because of mandatory evacuations.
The Blue Cut fire, as it’s known, began Tuesday and swiftly burned more than 18,000 acres near Interstate 15, reported the Times. That is very close to historic Route 66 in that region.
The Blue Cut fire was first reported just after 10:30 a.m. near Interstate 15 and jumped to nearly 1,500 acres in size within just two hours. As the fire continued to surge late Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County.
A five-year drought, gusty winds and 100-degree temperatures all fueled the blaze. Minor injuries to several firefighters who briefly were trapped by the fire were reported.
KCBS-TV posted this helicopter report from the fire Tuesday afternoon. The reporter mentions flames marching toward Cajon Boulevard, which is Route 66.
In addition to the fire closing Interstate 15, it also stopped train travel through Cajon Pass, reported the Victorville Daily Press.
The Summit Inn changed owners mere weeks ago. The Otto Recinos family of nearby Wrightwood, California, bought the restaurant, motel, office and antique shop for about $1 million from longtime owner C.A. Stevens, just short of his 50th anniversary there. Recinos planned to renovate the restaurant back to its original look.
It also survived the ups and downs of highway changes in the area and a suspected drunken-driving accident in 2014 that severely damaged the building and closed it for weeks.
The Summit Inn had operated at its present site since 1952, although its roots in Cajon Pass date to the late 1920s. Celebrities who had eaten there included Elvis Presley, Pierce Brosnan, Clint Eastwood and Danny Thomas.
(Screen-capture image of the Summit Inn fire)
This was a family favorite since the 1960s. I sure hope they will rebuild. Was it called the Blue Cut fire because it started near Blu Cut, on old 66 Cajon Blvd. in that area? There is/was a couple of old cabins from a cabin court that had long sat slowly deteriorating alongside the road in that area. Another fire scorched old 66 a few years ago as well.
This is, indeed, a horribly sad day not just for Route 66 in California, but for fans of the highway internationally. The Summit Inn was the pinnacle of the highway, metaphorically and physically. It sat at the top of the last mountain pass before the Los Angeles Basin was entered. It was recognized not only by travelers of the Mother Road, but also by the thousands of Angelinos that flocked to and from Las Vegas in a regular pattern of movement that would have made Route 66 in its heyday proud.
With new ownership right around the corner, and so much activity up and down the highway in California and along its entire length, the dawn of a new era of Mother Road revitalization has at least temporarily been extinguished.
But while this one landmark has been destroyed, and many others have been lost over the last 90 years, we continue to believe in this living, breathing ribbon of concrete that connects communities small and large, and a worldwide family of enthusiasts that will continue to flock to its roadside attractions for a second century!
According to reports here in Southern California, the Blue Cut fire started just west of Route 66 (Cajon Blvd) between Cleghorn Rd and Kenwood Ave. Apparently, the origin was fairly close to the Blue Cut Trail Marker on that section of Route 66.
The LA Times has posted additional raw video shot Wednesday morning at the Summit Inn:
https://bcove.me/urqil2bk
A group of us were planning to eat breakfast at the Summit Inn in September as we launched our next Route 66 Chicago to LA adventure. We sure hope the owners decide to rebuild.