40 homes, structures destroyed by Round fire in Eastern Sierra

More than three dozen homes and buildings were destroyed Saturday by a wildfire in the Eastern Sierra that has forced the evacuations of two towns and burned more than 7,000 acres.

Cal Fire said the wildfire, dubbed the Round fire, was 50% contained as of late Saturday afternoon.

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FOR THE RECORD

An earlier version of this post said the fire was in Northern California. It is in the Eastern Sierra.

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At least 20 homes and structures were destroyed in the town of Swall Meadows, Cal Fire said. No details were provided regarding the other structures.

About 200 fire personnel were battling the blaze, with help from more than a dozen agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, Inyo County Sheriff’s Department and Paradise Fire Department.

The blaze broke out just after 2 p.m. Friday, and was fueled by strong winds that had made containment difficult. But a strong storm system moving through the area Saturday brought rain that helped firefighters gain the upper hand, officials said.

An evacuation center has been established at the Crowley Lake Community Center in Mono County.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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