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California Wildfire grows, but damages still minimal

More than 5,000 homes had to be evacuated due to the fire, according to a tweet from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Monday. Smoke plumes roiling from flaming ridges of the San Bernardino Mountains blew all the way across the Mojave Desert to Las Vegas as California’s latest big wildfire chewed through timber and brush Monday.

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Firefighters aided by 16 aircraft battled flames that spread across almost 10 square miles on the northern side of the rugged mountain range east of Los Angeles.

No homes have yet burned and no one has been injured by the blaze that broke out on Sunday.

Onlookers watch helicopters collect water from Papoose Lake to battle a wildfire in Lake Arrowhead, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. Beverly White reports for the NBC4 News on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016.

A wildfire burning in Southern California’s rugged San Bernardino Mountains has grown to more than 12 square miles, but it hasn’t reached any of the homes it has been threatening.

The schools in Apple Valley school district were open Monday, but as air quality deteriorated and wind patterns shifted, the school district chose to close all schools, programs and offices.

A fire burning in steep terrain in central California is growing and has now scorched almost 8 square miles. Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for a number of areas and voluntary evacuations have extended to Lake Arrowhead. People who have pulmonary and cardiac diseases, older adults and young children were advised to reduce outdoor exposure.

The Pilot Fire has intensified along the mountains of San Bernardino County.

A firefighter stands next to a brush engine as flames rise and attempt to jump the road during the Pilot Fire near Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino county near Hesperia, California. The cause remained under investigation.

On the central coast, meanwhile, California’s biggest fire expanded to more than 95 square miles north of scenic Big Sur.

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An army of more than 5,000 firefighters and a fleet of air tankers and helicopters made progress, however, surrounding 50 percent of the almost 3-week-old fire. The fire crossed the highway in the Los Flores Ranch area. More temporary closures could follow. Forest Service roads 2N33, 2N17X, 2N36 and 2N37 are closed along with a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Deep Creek Hot Springs to Silverwood State Park. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.

Source @SBCOUNTYFIRE Twitter