Oct 6, 2009 12:11 pm US/Pacific
Evacuation Orders Lifted For Wrightwood Residents
7,128-Acre Sheep Fire Now 32 Percent Contained
WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (CBS) ―
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Firefighters are gaining ground against a wildfire near the Southern California mountain town of Wrightwood.
CBS
Cool, calm weather Tuesday was aiding fire crews battling the 7,128-acre Sheep fire burning in the San Gabriel Mountains and authorities allowed residents of Wrightwood to return home.
The blaze was 32 percent contained after burning more than 11 square miles of brush and timber near canyon ridges. It has destroyed one residence, two camp buildings, two outbuildings, five vehicles, two pieces of heavy equipment and four RVs structures. The fire acreage was downgraded due to more accurate mapping.
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The fire was only creeping and smoldering, Carol Underhill, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Forest Service, said.
Mandatory evacuation orders were lifted for Wrightwood residents at noon.
Evacuation orders were still in effect for Swarthout Canyon, Lone Pine Canyon, as well as Applewhite Campground, Applewhite Picnic Area, and areas east of Lytle Creek Road up to and including Mountain Lakes RV Park in Lytle Creek.
Evacuees were being housed at Eisenhower High School in nearby Rialto as well as the San Bernardino County fairgrounds in Victorville, where horses, large and small animals were also being accepted. Smaller animals were being taken to the Devore Animal Shelter.
Lone Pine Canyon Road and Swarthout Canyon Road remained closed. Lytle Creek Road was open to residents with proper identification only.
Most of the 19 miles of fireline left to build were on ridges near steep canyons, she said.
Winds gusting to 50 mph pushed the flames over the weekend but on Tuesday they were only at 5 to 10 mph with a few gusts to 15 mph, Underhill said.
"The weather's definitely cooperating," she said.
Highs were expected to be in the 60s to low 70s through the week and humidity could reach 40 percent, said Stan Wasowski, a National Weather Service forecaster in San Diego.
A low-pressure area over the region was keeping things cool, he said.
Nearly 2,000 firefighters and 20 aircraft were at work, concentrating on the northern and southern edges of the fire. Three firefighters were treated for minor injuries, Underhill said.
All schools in the Snowline School District were closed.
The cause remained under investigation.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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