Owens Valley Brush Fires Burn 1,000 Acres

Brush fires sweeping through two areas of the Owens Valley blackened almost 1,000 acres and destroyed some structures, authorities said Saturday.

The larger of the two blazes, east of Mt. Whitney, was ignited Friday by embers from an earlier fire carried on winds of up to 50 m.p.h., said Brian Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service.

The previous fire began March 21 and was controlled the next day, but smoldering embers were revived and swept up by the gusting winds, Miller said.

By late Saturday afternoon, the fire had charred 730 acres of dry sagebrush, one home and two travel trailers on one ranch and a mobile home on another ranch, Miller said.

The blaze was 90% contained at 5 p.m. and full containment was expected by this morning, California Department of Forestry spokesman Will Donaldson said.

No injuries were reported.

As firefighters closed a ring around the fire, the Tuttle Creek campground remained evacuated Saturday night. About one dozen families voluntarily left their homes in the Granite View area, which was not directly threatened, Miller said.

The fire crept to within four miles west of Lone Pine and several hundred feet from several homes in Granite View, prompting three or four families there to evacuate.

Firefighters hoped for favorable winds and containment lines would prevent further damage, Miller said.

Nearly 250 firefighters were involved in fighting the fire, most of it on federal Bureau of Land Management land.

The Forest Service, state Department of Forestry, BLM personnel, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the state Office of Emergency Services among other agencies were involved in the operations, Miller said.

The second fire, 60 miles away and three miles east of Bishop, started Friday afternoon and destroyed 250 acres but was contained by Saturday. Cause of the blaze was unknown and was under investigation, Miller said.

About 20 to 30 panicked cattle died when the fire drove them into the Owens River. “Half of them drowned, the others burned,” Miller said.

The fire came within a mile of destroying the historic Laws Railroad Museum, a ghost town, he said.