Gobblers fire in San Bernardino National Forest burns 335 acres

One of many small fires sparked by lightning in the San Bernardino National Forest has grown to 335 acres, prompting officials to call in more firefighting resources, authorities said Friday.

Sparked on Monday, the Gobblers fire was first estimated at 50 acres but has been fueled by steep terrain and dry sagebrush, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Down-canyon winds Wednesday drove the fire into the Stockton Flats area, allowing firefighters to safely engage the blaze, which was 45% contained as of Thursday night, according to an incident report.

The fire was not threatening any communities, although smoke was visible from Cajon Pass and the high desert.

Portions of forest roads 3N06 and 3N33 were closed above the fire line, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Assisting the 369 personnel on the ground were three air tankers, one prop plane and four helicopters.

The fire was an outcrop of the August lightning fires, which started popping up early Monday morning as lightning strikes turned dead, dry trees into smoldering ignition switches for small spot fires.

In all, 21 small fires were part of the August lightning cluster, but overall, firefighters have achieved 75% containment, with many of the blazes confined to less than 1 acre, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

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jason.wells@latimes.com

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