The wildfire burning west of Crater Lake National Park has grown to more than 400 acres as of Tuesday, and the park remains open, but fire officials say West Rim Drive could be intermittently closed over the next couple of days.
Advertisement
Investigators determined the blaze that has charred charred more than 69 square miles and destroyed 57 homes was started July 22 in a camping area of Garapata Park and left unattended.
A fire spokesman, Trooper Jeff Sevigney, says the blaze about 7 miles north of Moses Lake burned less land than initially thought but destroyed two homes and six outbuildings.
Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo said if a person is arrested, they could be charged with negligence and manslaughter for the death of 35-year-old bulldozer operator Robert Oliver Reagan III, killed fighting the fire last week.
Although they said they didn’t know who was responsible for the campfire, the Cal Fire officials said it was started illegally about 2¼ miles east of Highway 1 along Soberanes Creek in an isolated area of Garrapata State Park. Officials said Monday night better mapping allowed them to determine the fire had burned significantly more acreage than previously thought.
Many people have been warned of possible evacuations as the fire threatens 2,000 structures.
All California State Parks from Point Lobos State Natural Reserve through Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park are closed until further notice, including Andrew Molera State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground and Day Use and Point Sur Historic Lighthouse. It’s almost 70 percent contained.
Officials are reporting progress containing two large wildfires pushed by dry winds through remote rangeland and rugged canyons in northwestern Nevada.
Incident commanders predict humidity in the single-digits Tuesday in the Virginia Mountains, with wind gusts up to 45 miles an hour.
KCFD says it appears the cause of the fire was from parking in an area with hot material, which set the rear tires on the driver’s side on fire.
The 2.3-square-mile wildfire started Saturday afternoon south of the town of Prather about 30 miles northeast of Fresno.
The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe town of Sutcliffe is no longer threatened, but residents in some rural areas have been told to prepare to evacuate quickly if necessary.
Another, farther north near Poodle Mountain, is 80 percent contained. It has burned two other buildings.
By Wednesday morning, authorities say crews had gained some containment of the fire.
Advertisement
A forest closure order has been implemented to close the trails and roads within the Los Padres National Forest.
