Firefighters Battle Flames and Heat Across Southland

Firefighters battled flames and sweltering heat Sunday as they tried to surround blazes that charred more than 1,200 acres of brush across Southern California.

Despite triple-digit temperatures in some areas, crews began to gain the upper hand on wildfires dotting the region from San Diego County in the south to Santa Barbara County in the north.

The largest fire, a 720-acre blaze in the San Diego County community of Ramona, was 75% contained, and full control was expected by tonight, said Audrey Hagen, a California Department of Forestry spokeswoman.

Meanwhile, two Orange County men were recovering from injuries suffered Friday when their water-dropping plane crashed while trying to scoop water from the San Vicente Reservoir.

Pilot John Wells, 37, of Aliso Viejo suffered a broken shoulder and head cuts. Co-pilot Mark Cooper, 48, of Dana Point underwent 10 hours of surgery to reattach two fingers on his left hand.

Both were “resting quietly” Sunday at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, Department of Forestry spokeswoman Martie Perkins said.

Meanwhile, an arson fire near Lake Wohlford in north San Diego County burned more than 450 acres and caused $1.75 million in damage. The blaze was 80% contained, and full control was expected by tonight, officials said.

Eleven homes, 15 outbuildings and 30 vehicles were destroyed by the fire, which began Friday afternoon. One firefighter suffered a minor eye injury Saturday, Hagen said.

Investigators found what they described as an “arson device” and blamed that for starting the blaze, but officials provided no other details Sunday.

In Los Padres National Forest, 260 firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service and Santa Barbara County Fire Department were close to surrounding a fire that burned more than 100 acres about 12 miles northwest of Santa Barbara.