The fire began on September 8 and burned a total of 56,030 acres (22,670 hectares) before being fully contained on November 26, 2024.

[3] The fire threatened the areas of Wrightwood, Mount Baldy Village and Jackson Lake, where mandatory evacuation orders were in place.

Weather conditions, including gusty southwest winds and low relative humidity, led to a Red Flag Warning to be issued[6] and allowed for rapid fire growth.

Firefighters were concentrated on halting the southward progression of the fire and protecting homes in the East Fork San Gabriel River area.

[18] It continued to grow overnight, burning an additional 13,000 acres (5,300 ha) on its northern and eastern flanks as firefighters prioritized protecting buildings in Wrightwood, Piñon Hills, and Mount Baldy Village.

[19] Thousands of people fled those communities, and some reported receiving no evacuation warning before being forced to leave immediately.

[4] On Wednesday, September 11, 480 firefighting personnel were assigned to the Bridge Fire and California governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation of a state of emergency in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

FEMA granted the request at 9:18 p.m.[27] Los Angeles County supervisor Lindsey Horvath signed a declaration of a local emergency.

[15] On October 7, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion establishing multiple task forces for Economic Recovery, Watershed Hazard Assessment, Health and Social Services, Debris Removal and Rebuild, and Natural and Cultural Resources.