Las Flores brush fire close to containment

The fast-moving brush fire that forced the evacuation of 230 homes in Hesperia on Saturday was 95% contained Sunday night and expected to be fully contained by Monday afternoon.

Despite the blaze’s 4,100-acre footprint, only one home was damaged and an outbuilding destroyed, fire officials said.

“Firefighters are getting the upper hand,” said San Bernardino County Fire Department spokeswoman Tracey Martinez.

No injuries have been reported.

About 150 firefighters remained at the scene Sunday morning, assisted by two water-dropping helicopters, Martinez said. The fire was burning in rugged terrain, away from houses.

The Las Flores fire, about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, flared Saturday afternoon in gusty winds after starting out quietly late in the morning. By 3 p.m., police and city crews were going door-to-door in the high desert city ordering about 500 of its 82,000 residents to evacuate.

The evacuation order for parts of the city was lifted at 10 p.m. Saturday, and for the rest at 7 a.m. Sunday morning, Martinez said.

Fourteen people sought shelter at an evacuation center set up by the high desert chapter of the American Red Cross at Sultana High School. But they returned to their homes when the evacuation was lifted late Saturday night, said Bill Pyle, a Red Cross volunteer.

The fire’s cause remained under investigation.