LOS PADRES : 600-Acre Blaze Ignited by Campfire

An unattended campfire caused a fire that continued to burn Monday in the Los Padres National Forest, authorities said.

More than 280 firefighters battled the fire, which had spread to 600 acres Monday, said Earl Clayton, a spokesman. Split into 15 hand crews and four helicopter crews, they dropped water on the fire, cut firebreaks and dug trenches.

“This is in an area where the terrain is extremely rugged,” Clayton said. “We couldn’t get to the fire by engines. . . . The roads are almost impassable.”

Four firefighters have suffered minor injuries, primarily from heat exhaustion, since the fire began Friday, Clayton said. Damage to acres of pinion and juniper pine is estimated at $300,000, he said.

By 4:30 p.m. Monday, 90% of the fire had been contained, Clayton said. The cloud cover that moved in Monday morning helped slow its spread, Clayton said.

“The really unusual thing about this fire is that it occurs here in April, not in June and July,” Clayton said. Because of the four-year statewide drought, the fire danger is the most severe in a century in the national forest, he said.