Crews gain ground on Calif. wildfires

August 02, 2010|Associated Press

PALMDALE, Calif. — Higher humidity and lower temperatures helped firefighters nearly contain a wildfire smoldering yesterday in the high desert north of Los Angeles.

The fire charred nearly 22 square miles of brush in the Antelope Valley. It was 87 percent contained yesterday, and crews hoped to have it surrounded by this evening, said Don Kunitomi, Los Angeles County inspector.

All roads were reopened at sunrise yesterday.

The fire was believed to have been sparked Thursday afternoon in the Agua Dulce area by someone working on a car wheel. Four homes and five outbuildings were destroyed.

Los Angeles County fire crews aided by a pair of water-dropping helicopters quickly knocked down another wildfire that burned yesterday along the north edge of the 101 Freeway in Calabasas.

Officials said it charred about 12 acres of heavy brush after being reported around noon. No structures were threatened, but traffic in both directions slowed down significantly because of heavy smoke visible from much of the San Fernando Valley.

To the south in San Diego County, a wildfire sparked Saturday that has burned about 110 acres of heavy brush near Julian was nearly surrounded.

The Antelope Valley fire broke out near a state highway that snakes through the San Gabriel Mountains, connecting Los Angeles to the high desert.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is centering on workers who were hammering on some bolts to remove a tire rim. The workers were cooperating with the investigation.