Here’s how to travel between Las Vegas and LA to get around SoCal fire

By RICHARD N. VELOTTA LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

Firefighters battle the Bluecut Fire along Swarthout Canyon Road in the Cajon Pass, north of San Bernardino, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. Officials with the San Bernardino National Forest say five years of drought coupled with dry, hot weather have turned the entire area into a tinder box. (Will Lester/The Sun via AP)

A Helicopter Transport Services aircraft gathers water at the Mountain Lakes RV Camping Club in Lytle Creek, Creek, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016, to fight a wildfire. (David Pardo/The Daily Press via AP)

A helicopter drops fire retardant and water over the BlueCut fire in the Cajon Pass near San Bernardino, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

This Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 photo shows the Summit Inn, a popular roadside diner at the crest of historic Route 66 in Oak Hills, Calif. burns to the ground after a fast burning wildfire swept through the town. (AP Photo/Rick McClure)

Cal Fire firefighter sets a backfire as he is silhouetted against the fire on Lone Pine Canyon Rd. in Wrightwood, Calif. early Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Officials in charge of the battle against California’s newest huge wildfire estimate that only about half of the 4,500 residents of the threatened town of Wrightwood have complied with evacuation orders. (AP Photo/Rick McClure)

A CalFire firefighter begins clearing Highway 138 east of the Interstate 15 as a wildfire burns in California, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. The fire forced the shutdown of a section of Interstate 15, the main highway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, leaving commuters stranded for hours. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP)

This Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 photo Heavy fire envelopes Hwy 138 at Hess Rd in Phelan, Calif. as firefighters prepare to battle a wildfire spreading through San Bernardino County. (AP Photo/Rick McClure)2

A Helicopter prepares to drop water on a wildfire as it burns near Cajon Pass in California, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. The fire forced the shutdown of a section of Interstate 15, the main highway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, leaving commuters stranded for hours. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP)

Daniel Brown uses a chat app with his mother while surveying damage to his home after a fire tore through his neighborhood in Lower Lake, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson)

California firefighters monitor a wildfire from Lytle Creek Road in Lytle Creek, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. (David Pardo/The Daily Press via AP)

The closure of Interstate 15 as a result of the Blue Cut Fire has cut off the most direct and convenient route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

But fortunately, it’s not the only way for Southern Nevadans to get to L.A. Other less-traveled — and longer — routes exist for motorists who absolutely have to get there.

The route to take is dependent upon the final destination.

The most recent report from the California Department of Transportation is that I-15 is closed from Phelan Road in Hesperia to the freeway interchange of Interstate 215 in San Bernardino, a distance of about 18 miles.

The most popular alternatives will take travelers west around the fire.

In Victorville, motorists should turn off I-15 at the Palmdale Road exit, California Highway 18, and take it west to California Highway 138. Motorists can bypass Palmdale by taking the Pearblossom Highway to connect with California Highway 14, which leads to Interstate 5 in Santa Clarita.

From there are multiple alternatives to freeways leading to Los Angeles and its suburbs.

A less traveled road for the more adventurous that accesses the Inland Empire and the communities south and east of San Bernardino takes motorists through the heart of the Mojave National Preserve.

Travelers can take the Cima Road exit off I-15 about 60 miles south of Las Vegas and drive south through Cima and Kelso. Known locally as Kelbaker Road, the route crosses Interstate 40 and moves south and west to Amboy. The road south from Amboy eventually joins California Highway 62 near Twentynine Palms before intersecting with Interstate 10. From there, motorists can access multiple freeways to their destinations.

While the alternative routes are viable for travel, motorists should remember that most of them are two-lane roads with speed limits that are lower than what they experience on the interstates.

On some roads, particularly the route through Mojave National Preserve, gasoline and services are scarce so motorists should be sure to fill their tanks and take plenty of water.

Motorists should also have the Caltrans Highway Information Network number available — 800-427-7623 — although there are some portions of the preserve that don’t have cellular phone service.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Find him on Twitter: @RickVelotta