As of 6:30 p.m., the Chimney Fire was threatening the community of Bryson Hesperia, which extends into both counties, Chimney Fire spokesman Bud Englund said.
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The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department has ordered mandatory evacuations for several communities in southeast Tulare County: Posey, Pine Flat, Pine Mountain, Sugar Loaf (including Sugar Mountain Park and Sugar Loaf Village), California Hot Springs, Panorama Heights, McClenny Tract, Sugar Creek Mountain Homes, White River Summer Homes, Portuguese Meadow, Balance Rock, Idlewild and Poso Peak. At one point the fire got within two miles of the legendary Hearst Castle.
The number of hand crews rose Sunday from 74 to 93 – supported by 297 engines, 43 water tenders, 14 helicopters, seven air tankers and 47 bulldozers – to fight the fire that started on the afternoon of August 13 just south of Nacimiento Reservoir, a Cal Fire spokesman said Sunday evening.
The Department of Natural Resources says the fire west of Spokane also scorched more than 9 square miles by Monday.
A huge wildfire that has been raging for days has created a crisis for the famed California landmark Hearst Castle, located above San Simeon on the state’s Central Coast.
Hearst Castle, built between 1919 and 1947 for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, is a museum and California state park, with more than 127 acres of gardens, pools and terraces.
In an odd coincidence, the castle recently observed the 65th anniversary of Hearst’s death-just a day after the outbreak of the fire.
Three blazes burning largely unchecked around the outskirts of Spokane, the state’s second-largest city, had collectively blackened about 13,000 acres (5,260 hectares) of dry brush, grass and timber, with zero percent containment, officials said.
“You don’t want somebody to come back to a neighbourhood where a fire could suddenly flare up on the property next door from something still smouldering”, Mr Dillon said.
Meanwhile, in San Bernardino County, the Blue Cut fire that destroyed about 105 homes last week was 89% contained.
The once-fast moving and erratic blaze that burned almost 58 square miles was 85 percent contained. Fire officials say the blaze was about 3 ½ miles from the hilltop estate on Saturday. The cause is under investigation.
-Officials at Hearst Castle closed the mountain-top tourist destination Saturday morning while the Chimney Fire, which started near Lake Nacimiento, is approaching.
LOS ANGELES-Firefighters in California said they are making progress slowing the advance of several devastating wildfires, but authorities ordered the temporary closure of a historic villa in the path of one unsafe inferno. It’s 60 percent contained.
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Livermore-Pleasanton Fire still has crews all over the state assisting with the many wildfires burning in California.
