Los Angeles County firefighter Darin Conant hoses down hot spots at the Lazy T Ranch. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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PALMDALE, Calif. -- Firefighters hoped to have a 14,000 acre brush fire known as the "Crown Fire" near Palmdale fully contained by Monday evening but there is still some work to be done.
The fire, which has scorched 22 square miles, was 97-percent contained Monday evening thanks to high humidity and low temperatures, fire officials said.
No structures are threatened, and all evacuation orders have been lifted.
All roads in the area were reopened at sunrise Sunday, according to Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Don Kunitomi.
See Map of Fire Area
Some 1,300 firefighters were assigned to the fire Saturday.
The weather had been a problem for firefighters -- with high temperatures, low humidity and winds complicating the firefight.
On Friday, winds pushed the fire down from mountains on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert, across the California aqueduct and up to the backyards of modern homes in Palmdale.
Residents of about 300 homes in the Ana Verde and Groves developments were asked to evacuate as the fire burned dangerously close Friday afternoon.
The flames also threatened power lines that supply electricity to Southern California.
Two giant airtankers dropped red flame retardant around the perimeter of the blaze, while helicopters dropped water on hotspots.
"They make a big difference, but it's a coordinated aggressive attack with firefighters laying hose, doing structure protection and perimeter control," said L.A. County Fire Inspector Frederic Stowers.
"It's a tough situation, but we're steadily taking chunks out of this fire, protecting the infrastructure -- power lines, roads and the like," Stowers said.
Some 2,300 structures were threatened. Four homes and five outbuildings were destroyed in the blaze.
Most of the homes near Palmdale that were threatened were newer, with fire-resistant roofs, stucco walls and fire-resistant vegetation.
The so-called Crown Fire broke out around 3 p.m. Thursday north of Sierra Highway at Anthony Road.
The fast-moving blaze forced evacuations Thursday for residents of 2,000 homes in the area, according to fire officials. Most of the evacuation orders were lifted Friday morning, but some roads in the area remained closed.
Fire investigators are focusing on some workers who were trying to remove a tire rim by hammering on bolts. The workers are cooperating with the investigation.
Despite firefighters' beliefs the California Aqueduct would act as a firebreak, flames leaped over the aqueduct and burned closer to Palmdale and Rancho Vista late Thursday night.
The flames grew closer to residences near Rancho Vista Boulevard and 30th Street West, but fire crews reported they were able to fight the blaze back and away from homes.
A second fire, the "Briggs Fire" in Acton, started burning south of the 14 Freeway near Soledad Canyon Road.
The fire consumed 350 acres before fire crews knocked it down at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, County fire officials reported.
It was moving toward last year's Station Fire burn area, a 160,577-acre region.
Flames were burning near 8334 Soledad Canyon Road between Indian Truck Trail and Briggs Road, threatening homes 35900 Anthony Road.
A third fire, off Lancaster Road near Gorman, burned about 30 acres before it was put out.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are offering quick text updates that can be obtained by texting FIRE to 888777, as well as detailed email reports from www.Nixle.com.
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L.A. County Fire Dept. website: http://fire.lacounty.gov/
INFORMATION: ROAD CLOSURES & EVACUATIONS
The fire, which has scorched 22 square miles, was 97-percent contained Monday evening thanks to high humidity and low temperatures, fire officials said.
No structures are threatened, and all evacuation orders have been lifted.
All roads in the area were reopened at sunrise Sunday, according to Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Don Kunitomi.
See Map of Fire Area
Some 1,300 firefighters were assigned to the fire Saturday.
The weather had been a problem for firefighters -- with high temperatures, low humidity and winds complicating the firefight.
On Friday, winds pushed the fire down from mountains on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert, across the California aqueduct and up to the backyards of modern homes in Palmdale.
Residents of about 300 homes in the Ana Verde and Groves developments were asked to evacuate as the fire burned dangerously close Friday afternoon.
The flames also threatened power lines that supply electricity to Southern California.
Two giant airtankers dropped red flame retardant around the perimeter of the blaze, while helicopters dropped water on hotspots.
"They make a big difference, but it's a coordinated aggressive attack with firefighters laying hose, doing structure protection and perimeter control," said L.A. County Fire Inspector Frederic Stowers.
"It's a tough situation, but we're steadily taking chunks out of this fire, protecting the infrastructure -- power lines, roads and the like," Stowers said.
Some 2,300 structures were threatened. Four homes and five outbuildings were destroyed in the blaze.
Most of the homes near Palmdale that were threatened were newer, with fire-resistant roofs, stucco walls and fire-resistant vegetation.
The so-called Crown Fire broke out around 3 p.m. Thursday north of Sierra Highway at Anthony Road.
The fast-moving blaze forced evacuations Thursday for residents of 2,000 homes in the area, according to fire officials. Most of the evacuation orders were lifted Friday morning, but some roads in the area remained closed.
Fire investigators are focusing on some workers who were trying to remove a tire rim by hammering on bolts. The workers are cooperating with the investigation.
Despite firefighters' beliefs the California Aqueduct would act as a firebreak, flames leaped over the aqueduct and burned closer to Palmdale and Rancho Vista late Thursday night.
The flames grew closer to residences near Rancho Vista Boulevard and 30th Street West, but fire crews reported they were able to fight the blaze back and away from homes.
A second fire, the "Briggs Fire" in Acton, started burning south of the 14 Freeway near Soledad Canyon Road.
The fire consumed 350 acres before fire crews knocked it down at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, County fire officials reported.
It was moving toward last year's Station Fire burn area, a 160,577-acre region.
Flames were burning near 8334 Soledad Canyon Road between Indian Truck Trail and Briggs Road, threatening homes 35900 Anthony Road.
A third fire, off Lancaster Road near Gorman, burned about 30 acres before it was put out.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are offering quick text updates that can be obtained by texting FIRE to 888777, as well as detailed email reports from www.Nixle.com.
----
L.A. County Fire Dept. website: http://fire.lacounty.gov/
INFORMATION: ROAD CLOSURES & EVACUATIONS
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