The mansion, which was built at the commission of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst to house his art collection, was closed to the public Saturday due to the wildfire, the California Department of Parks and Recreation said in a statement.
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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 risky inferno.
A wind-driven wildfire in central California led to more evacuations and the closure of the Hearst Castle on Saturday.
Cal Fire spokesman Mike Yuli says a wind shift caused the fire to cross a containment line Saturday afternoon, leading authorities to issue an evacuation warning to two communities north of Lake Nacimiento, about 180 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
There are 2,700 firefighters working to stop the fire, which is 35 percent contained. The suspected arson fire, which started August 13, charred 3,929 acres and destroyed 189 homes. Residents of 7,000 other homes in the Cajon Pass area were still potentially in the path of the fire, which is burning in heavy brush, and they remained under evacuation orders, Lopez said. The Clayton Fire measures some 4,000 acres and is 95 per cent contained. At least 213 outbuildings have burned.
In Monterey County, the Soberanes Fire remains 60 percent contained at 83,830 acres. The fire has destroyed more than 300 structures, including 105 homes.
Cal Fire expects to be battling the fire, which began July 22, through the end of the month.
The fire has burned more than 15,000 hectares in the mountain areas of San Bernardino County 120 kilometers northeast of Los Angeles.
Flames from the eight-day-old wildfire in San Luis Obispo County came as close as three miles to the national historic landmark, prompting California State Parks officials to cancel tours and close the grounds to visitors.
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Even less contained is the Cedar fire burning in Kern County, which was 5% contained as of Sunday at 17,986 acres.
