Cooler weather helps firefighters contain SoCal mountain blaze

SoCal mountain blaze 75 percent contained

WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. — The wildfire burning near the community of Wrightwood in the San Bernardino Mountains was 75 percent contained at 7,128 acres Tuesday night, officials said.

The thousands of people who had been ordered to flee returned to their homes as cool, calm weather helped crews stop the progression of the Sheep fire, which started Saturday afternoon. All evacuation orders were lifted for Wrightwood, and Highway 2 was reopened.

Helicopters dropped water and transported crews close to the burned areas to build fire lines in the rugged forest.

The blaze was expected to be fully contained on Saturday, as crews push deeper into difficult terrain on the southwest perimeter, officials said.

Firebreaks constructed below Wrightwood were holding and the fire did not appear to be spreading, U.S. Forest Service fire information officer Norma Bailey said.

“They have had a few flare-ups within the perimeter of the fire,” she said.

The blaze burned more than 11 square miles and destroyed a home, two camp buildings and two outbuildings, said Carol Underhill, another Forest Service spokeswoman.

Winds gusting to 50 mph pushed the flames over the weekend. But on Tuesday, they were only at 5 to 10 mph with a few gusts to 15 mph, Underhill said.

Highs were expected to be in the 60s to low 70s through the week, and humidity could reach 40 percent, said Stan Wasowski, a National Weather Service forecaster in San Diego.

A low-pressure area over the region is keeping things cool, he said.

Nearly 2,000 firefighters and 30 aircraft were at work, concentrating on the northern and southern edges of the fire. Three firefighters were treated for minor injuries, Underhill said.