The fire broke out on August 13 and is now 35 percent contained, but high winds caused the fire to cross a containment line Saturday, prompting new evacuation orders for communities north and west of Lake Nacimiento.
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The fire has burned more than 26 square miles and is 33 percent contained.
Fire officials briefed residents at an evacuation centre on Sunday at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds where about 15 residents remained. Most of that damage came before Thursday night, when fire officials listed containment at about 22 percent. The castle, a popular tourist attraction that houses a large art collection belonging to media magnate William Randolph Hearst, stopped giving tours due to heavy smoke, said California State Parks spokeswoman Gloria Sandoval.
Nevertheless, the California Parks and Recreation Department said the castle, a state-designated “historical monument” that hosts almost 800,000 visitors a year, would be kept closed through August 28 “due to the proximity of the wildfire”.
Firefighters have been working all weekend to keep the raging Chimney Fire under control as it makes a beeline for Hearst Castle.
Fire crews overnight made progress containing an arson fire that has destroyed nearly 200 homes. Wrightwood residents were allowed to return home on Saturday.
The fire sparked Tuesday was 73 percent contained and firefighters who were on the offensive for days were finally transitioning to mop-up phase, officials said.
More people returned to their homes Friday as firefighters made significant progress against a huge wildfire burning in Southern California’s San Bernardino National Forest, but that was tempered by the announcement that at least 96 homes and 213 outbuildings were destroyed. Color-coded maps were distributed showing areas completely destroyed in red, severely damaged areas in orange, moderately damaged in yellow and not damaged in green. “But when you have these trees that are dead and bone dry, they go up like a match”, Temmermand said. California Fire said the fire has destroyed 57 homes and charred 133 square miles.
Also under evacuation order is Bryson Hesperia, which lies in both San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties.
This is to say nothing of the financial and emotional cost of replacing homes and property destroyed by fire.
In June, authorities found the burned remains of a man and woman who were caretakers of property in an area where an evacuation order had been issued near Potrero, about 45 miles east of San Diego.
Damin Pashilk of nearby Clearlake is charged with 14 counts of arson in connection with the Lower Lake blaze and 11 other fires dating back to July 2015.
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People in the small community of Wellpinit on the Spokane Indian Reservation have been told to evacuate.
