Los Angeles News

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― The relentless Station Fire was only 22 percent contained Tuesday, and full containment wasn't expected for more than two weeks.

So far, 53 homes -- 62 structures in all -- have been destroyed, thousands more are threatened, and new rounds of evacuations have been ordered as towering flames crackle close to neighborhoods on the northern and southern flanks of the blaze.

Firefighters were stationed at Tujunga's "Rustic" neighborhood late Tuesday morning, as flames were inching down toward some 300 homes. Homes on the northern edge of Glendale were also threatened.

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More than 190 square miles -- 127,513 acres -- has burned, mostly in Angeles National Forest, as a triple-digit heat wave bakes the region. However, the National Weather Service said temperatures would slowly begin cooling later in the week.

Up to 12,000 homes are still threatened and 2,000 residents have been chased from their homes.

Fire spokesman Paul Lowenthal said Tuesday that the blaze won't be fully surrounded until mid-September.

One possible glimmer of hope, however. Officials said Tuesday evening that Mount Wilson looks to have been spared. The famous mountain is where most Los Angeles-based broadcast companies have transmission towers as well as cell phone towers.

After several days of worry, officials are now saying "Mount Wilson does not seem be in any direct or immediate danger."

County spokesman Mark Whaling said more than 28 miles of fire lines -- not containment lines -- had been established. Roughly 75 more miles need to be established to circle the rest of the fire.

The swath of fire extends from the densely populated foothill communities of Altadena, La Canada-Flintridge, Glendale, La Crescenta, Tujunga and Sunland in the south to the high desert ranchlands of Acton to the north. 

Two firefighters -- Capt. Tedmund Hall, 47, of San Bernardino and firefighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones, 35, of Palmdale -- were killed when their vehicle plummeted off a mountain road on Sunday.

The 53 homes destroyed included some forest cabins, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Dennis Cross said. He did not know how many of the buildings were full-time residences.

Fire crews set backfires and sprayed fire retardant at Mount Wilson, which is home to at least 20 television transmission towers, radio and cell phone antennas, and the century-old Mount Wilson Observatory.

It also houses two giant telescopes and several multimillion-dollar university programs in its role as both a landmark for its historic discoveries and a thriving modern center for astronomy.

Flames were inching extremely close to equipment Tuesday afternoon. 

A plane dropping nearly 4-acres of water on Mount Wilson mid afternoon Tuesday bought firefighters more time. Officials said they wanted to make it "rain" on top of Mount Wilson to save the equipment, towers and buildings.
 
KCAL 9's David Goldstein spent Tuesday with firefighters in Glendale who were setting back fires to cut off the fuel of the growing blaze...literally fighting fire with fire.

The Station Fire, of course, is not the only big fire burning around the Southland.

A fire burning in Yucaipa, dubbed the Pendleton Fire, has scorched more than 860 acres and is 70 percent contained. The fire was only about 20 percent contained Tuesday afternoon.

More than 900 homes were forced to evacuate that blaze. Three miles away, also in Yucaipa, the slightly larger Oak Glen Fire was also burning.

The Oak Glen blaze has destroyed more than 1,012 acres but officials say water-dropping aircraft has aided the fight against both blazes. The Oak Glen fire was also nearly 70 percent contained as of 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The mandatory evacuation order was also lifted for this area, according to KCAL 9's Mark Sayre reporting from the Inland Empire. 

The area is now being called a "recommended" evacuation area. Translation? Residents can return to the area, but they are still advised to be cautious and to stay away.
Non-residents will not be allowed in under any circumstances.

The Morris Fire, which scorched more than 2160 acres, is now 95 percent contained and expected to be fully contained by Wednesday, according to officials.

The Cotton Wood fire was fully contained Monday evening.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)