Oct 25, 2007 1:16 am US/Pacific
Santa Clarita Buckweed Fire 100 Percent Contained
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (CBS) ―
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The Buckweed fire, along with two others in the Santa Clarita Valley, combined to burn more than 90,000 acres.
The Buckweed fire, one of three major fires that combined have scorched more than 90,000 acres in the Santa Clarita Valley since Saturday, was declared 100 percent contained Wednesday night.
The 38,356-acre Buckweed Fire cost more than $5.8 million dollars to battle, said German Aguilar of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
About 870 firefighters remained on scene tonight to make sure that all embers were extinguished and the fire was completely knocked down.
This morning, the blaze was deemed 94 percent contained.
A total of 32 structures -- including 15 homes and 17 outbuildings -- have been destroyed, along with 40 vehicles, according to county officials.
Fire officials believe the Buckweed Fire may have been the result of downed power lines. According to the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, five people were injured in the blaze, including two firefighters. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.
The Magic fire, the last of the three big fires, broke out Monday near The Old Road and Magic Mountain Parkway in the Stevenson Ranch area. No structures were damaged, and no one was hurt, said Deputy Ed Hernandez of the Office of Emergency Management.
The Magic fire, which scorched 1,750 acres, was 100 percent contained Wednesday morning, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The fire has been determined as accidental, caused by construction workers doing welding work, Hernandez said.
Southland fire crews hoped to make significant progress on containing the remaining fires as weather conditions improve and winds slow down over the next two days.
The Ranch fire, the first to start, broke out Saturday northwest of Castaic near Townsend Peak. The wildfire has charred more than 51,300 acres, destroyed seven structures and 14 boats in a storage area, fire officials said.
The Ranch Fire was about 70 percent contained Wednesday night and is expected to be contained, or fully surrounded, by next week, officials said.
(© 2007 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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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