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Mountain Fire is 100% contained

IDYLLWILD - Fire officials fully contained the 27,531-acre Mountain Fire today, more than two weeks after it was sparked by electrical equipment failure on private property northeast of Idyllwild.

The blaze, which broke out July 15, has destroyed 23 structures, including seven residences, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Fighting the blaze, which continues to smolder in heavy down and dead material in the northwest section of the burn area, has cost more than $25.8 million.

All Forest Service campgrounds and day-use areas located along Highway 243, San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness -- and all hiking and mountain biking trails out of Hurkey Creek County Campground and the May Valley area --remain closed.

Mountain Fire is 99% contained; officials expect 100% containment by Tuesday

IDYLLWILD - The Mountain Fire was 99 percent contained today, two weeks after it broke out due to electrical equipment failure on private property northeast of Idyllwild.

Fire officials expected the 182 personnel still working the smoldering fire to fill in all of the gaps by Tuesday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The fire has scorched 27,531 acres since it broke out July 15 and destroyed 23 structures, including seven residences. Fighting it has cost more than $25.6 million.

Incident commander Chris Fogle praised the work of firefighters and remained confident they would achieve 100 percent containment -- two previous projection dates have been pushed back -- by Tuesday.

All Forest Service campgrounds and day-use areas located along Highway 243, San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness -- and all hiking and mountain biking trails out of Hurkey Creek County Campground and the May Valley area -- remain closed.

IDYLLWILD - The containment estimate for the Mountain Fire reached 98 percent today, as firefighters continued the arduous tasks of closing the final fire line gaps in steep, forested mountains northeast of Idyllwild, fire officials said today.

Fire officials anticipate fully surrounding the wildfire by Tuesday but credited the efforts of six crews that stayed overnight for several days in the rough terrain to improve fire lines and mop up hot spots, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Carol Underhill said.

The wildfire was sparked July 15 south of Idyllwild, when an electrical equipment failure occurred on private property. A total of 23 structures were destroyed during the blaze, which has cost $25.6 million so far to quell, fire officials said.

Incident Commander Chris Fogle praised the work of firefighters and remained confident they would achieve their goal by Tuesday.

''Our firefighters are working under difficult conditions, but we are confident in the progress they are making in completing the fire line,'' Fogle said.

Firefighters confident that Mountain Fire will be fully contained by Tuesday

IDYLLWILD - Firefighters remain confident that they'll be able to fully contain the nearly two-week old Mountain Fire that has charred more than 27,500 acres by Tuesday, a spokesman said today.

Firefighters pushed back a full containment date because of the steep terrain in the northwest corner of the perimeter that has hampered some efforts in establishing a fire line construction. Even though the fire remained 96 percent contained today firefighters were assured they'll have it surrounded by Tuesday, Bob Poole, spokesman with the San Bernardino National Forest, said.

Fire crews continued making progress and in putting out hot spots close to the Mountain Fire's edge. The wildfire has cost $25.4 million and destroyed 23 structures including seven homes since it started July 15, Carol Underhill, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino National Forest, said.

CalFire investigators determined the blaze was sparked because of some electrical equipment failure on private property.

Complete Mountain Fire containment still eludes firefighters

IDYLLWILD - Fire officials today pushed back the estimated full containment date for the Mountain Fire to Tuesday, saying ''extreme terrain'' is hampering fire line construction.

The fire has scorched 27,531 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest since it broke out south of Idyllwild 11 days ago, when electrical equipment failed on private property near Mountain Center.

As of today, 96 percent of the fire's containment lines had been built across the steep mountains and forested canyons between Idyllwild and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

Although full containment had been previously expected today, a statement from the U.S. Forest Service today said crews ''are continuing to improve fire line and extinguishing hot areas close to the fire's edge'' and people may see smoke toward the north end of the blaze.

The fire area is also under a flash flood watch today, with a chance of thunderstorms.

The cost of fighting the fire, which burned in steep areas covered by chaparral and timber, was $25.2 million. But the number of fire personnel assigned to the blaze continued to be pared back, with 146 remaining today.

The fire had been under the unified command of the Forest Service and Cal Fire, but on Thursday management was turned over to a San Bernardino National Forest local team.

The fire is believed to have started near the junction of Highways 243 and 74 around 1:45 p.m. on July 15. That day, the blaze claimed 23 structures, including seven homes, but no major injuries were reported, either then or since.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection disclosed Thursday that the blaze was sparked by electrical equipment failure ''on the customer side of the meter.'' It said no more information would be released because an investigation was continuing.

Evacuations that affected as many as 6,000 people were lifted on Sunday, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which closed July 18 due to fire- generated smoke, reopened Tuesday.

But the nearby San Jacinto Wilderness Area and Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness and all Forest Service Campground and day-use areas along Highway 243 remained closed. Also closed were the Devils Slide, South Ridge, Deer Springs, Marion Mountain, 7 Pines, Black Mountain and Fuller Ridge trails, as well as the Pacific Crest Trail from Highway 74 to Strawberry Junction and connecting trails.

All hiking and mountain biking trails out of the Hurkey Creek County Campground and May Valley areas were also closed, although the Hurkey Creek Campground remained open for camping. Idyllwild and Stone Creek state parks were open, as are the Lake Hemet Campground.

There were no closures remaining on highways 243 or 74.

Mountain Fire to be fully contained today; cause of blaze said to be electrical equipment failure on private property

IDYLLWILD - Fire commanders say the Mountain Fire will be fully contained today, having scorched 27,531 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest since it broke out in the Idyllwild area 11 days ago as a result of electrical equipment failure on private property.

As of Thursday, containment was at 92 percent, according to a Mountain Fire incident update, which said 100 percent containment will be attained by 6 p.m. today. But with the fire continuing to smolder, according to the update, there was no immediate estimate of when it would be declared extinguished.

The cost of fighting the fire, which burned in steep areas covered by chaparral and timber, had risen to $25.2 million as of Thursday, according to the U.S. Forest Service. But the number of fire personnel assigned to the blaze continued to be pared back, with 146 remaining as of Thursday, when the fire, which had been under the unified command of the Forest Service and Cal Fire, was turned over to a San Bernardino National Forest local team.

The fire is believed to have started near the junction of Highways 243 and 74 around 1:45 p.m. on July 15. That day, the blaze claimed 23 structures, including seven homes, but no major injuries were reported, either then or since.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection disclosed Thursday that the blaze was sparked by electrical equipment failure ''on the customer side of the meter.'' It said no more information would be released because an investigation was continuing.

But The Desert Sun reported that the site of the fire's origin, a nearly 20-acre parcel at 53-750 Highway 243 in Mountain Center, is owned by Tarek M. Al-Shawaf of Saudconsult, an engineering and architectural firm in Ryadh, Saudi Arania. He is an American-educated engineer who runs the firm, a close friend who lives in the area told the newspaper.

Neighbors said Al-Shawaf visits the area just a couple of times a year, The Sun reported. A neighbor who did not want to be identified said it sounded like a party was going on the night before the fire started, with music and loud noise coming from the pool.

Evacuations that affected as many as 6,000 people were lifted on Sunday, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which closed July 18 due to fire-generated smoke, reopened Tuesday.

But the nearby San Jacinto Wilderness Area and Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness and all Forest Service Campground and day-use areas along Highway 243 remained closed. Also closed were the Devils Slide, South Ridge, Deer Springs, Marion Mountain, 7 Pines, Black Mountain and Fuller Ridge trails, as well as the Pacific Crest Trail from Highway 74 to Strawberry Junction and connecting trails.

All hiking and mountain biking trails out of the Hurkey Creek County Campground and May Valley areas were also closed, although the Hurkey Creek Campground is open for camping. Idyllwild and Stone Creek state parks are open, as are the Lake Hemet Campground and highways 243 and 74.

CAL FIRE investigators determine cause of 'Mountain Fire'

IDYLLWILD - The Mountain Fire, which burned more than 27,000 acres in the Idyllwild area, was caused by an electrical equipment failure on private property, it was announced today.

The equipment failure happened ''on the customer side of the meter,'' according to a written statement from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which added that no more information would be released because the investigation was continuing.

Command of the blaze was handed over to local personnel this morning, and full containment is expected on Friday, the U.S. Forest Service said.

The blaze was 92 percent contained this morning, having scorched more than 27,500 acres of the San Bernardino National Forest since breaking out near Idyllwild 10 days ago. A U.S. Forest Service statement said the cost of fighting the fire had risen to $25.2 million.

The fire's acreage has changed little since Sunday, thanks to rain from thunderstorms over last weekend and earlier this week.

The number of fire personnel assigned to the blaze continues to be reduced, with 146 remaining. The fire, which has been under the unified command of the Forest Service and Cal Fire, was turned over to a San Bernardino National Forest local team, officials said today.

The blaze has claimed 23 structures, including seven homes, but no major injuries have been reported.

The fire is believed to have started around 1:45 p.m. on July 15 near the junction of Highways 243 and 74. The 23 structures swallowed by the blaze were all destroyed on the first day of the fire.

Evacuations that affected as many as 6,000 people were lifted on Sunday. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway -- which closed Thursday due to fire- generated smoke -- reopened Tuesday. The nearby Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness Area, several campgrounds, Humber Park and Pacific Crest Trail and its connecting trails remain closed.

RIVERSIDE- CAL FIRE Investigators have determined the cause of the “Mountain Fire” to be an electrical equipment failure on private property. The electrical equipment failure occurred on the customer side of the meter. No further details will be released as this remains an on-going investigation.

The “Mountain Fire” was reported at 1:43 PM on July 15, 2013 near the junction of Highway 243 and Highway 74. It burned east of Mountain Center, through the Apple Canyon and Bonita Vista areas, and then along the Desert Divide and southern portion of the San Jacinto Wilderness. At one point the fire’s spread and intensity forced the evacuation of several mountain communities, including Mountain Center, Idyllwild, Fern Valley, and Pine Cove. Seven residential dwellings and 15 other structures were destroyed by the fire.

CAL FIRE and the United States Forest Service/San Bernardino National Forest have been in unified command of the fire. More than 3,400 firefighting personnel from fire agencies throughout the state battled the fire with assistance from the following cooperating agencies; Riverside County Fire Department, Idyllwild Fire Protection District, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Riverside County Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), American Red Cross, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California State Parks- San Jacinto State Park, California Conservation Corps (CCC), Riverside County Department of Transportation, Riverside County Flood Control, Lake Hemet Municipal Water District, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Southern California Edison, Idyllwild Water District, Fern Valley Water District and Pine Cove Water District.

 

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