Lightning-Sparked Fire 55% Contained
A lightning-sparked brush fire burning for three days near Lake Piru was 55% contained Sunday night, with full containment expected by Tuesday evening, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
More than 1,800 acres of brush in the Sespe Wilderness Area had burned since the blaze began just before 1 p.m. Thursday in the Piru Gorge, about 2 1/2 miles south of Pyramid Lake.
No structures were threatened, fire officials said.
Six minor injuries, including a broken hand, a cut leg and four cases of heat exhaustion, were being blamed on the blaze.
Rough terrain and the inaccessibility of the area were hampering firefighters’ ability to extinguish the blaze, which was burning across the Ventura-Los Angeles county line.
About 455 firefighters from more than a dozen agencies were assisting in the battle along with four air tankers and 10 water-dropping helicopters.
The fire forced the closure of Old Ridge Road to Whitaker and Old Highway 99 to Oak Flat. In addition, Oak Flat and Frenchman Flat campgrounds remained temporarily closed.
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