San Bernardino County Fire Consumes 90 Square Miles
Release Date: September 3, 1999
Release Number: 3140-01a
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Interagency Fire Center reports firefighters continue to battle major wildfires in California.
Firefighters have gained some upper ground on the largest wildfire currently burning in Southern California, the 60,000 - nearly 90 square mile - Willow blaze in San Bernardino County. By yesterday, that blaze was 30 percent contained. Nearly 1,900 of the 10,000 some personnel assigned to California wildfires are working the Willow fire. Their equipment includes 97 fire trucks and 13 helicopters. To date, the fire has burned 30 structures, including a number of homes.
Other fires in California include:
- 3,000-acre Mixing fire 70 percent contained
- 7,000-acre Bridge fire 30 percent contained
- 21,000-acre High Complex* 80 percent contained
- 14,400-acre MHRD Complex 30 percent contained
* a complex is a series of fires in an area firefighters group together for management and control
Scattered showers in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California in recent days have had some impact on the fires, but the National Weather Service does not additional rainfall through at least Saturday night.
Other fires continue to burn in Idaho and Montana. The NIFC reports firefighters have been able to gain between 80 percent and 100 percent containment in most of them.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 02-Dec-2003 09:35:31