Brush Fire in Llano Area Nearly Contained, But Has Grown to 96 Acres

Some 250 firefighters from four agencies worked to contain a brush fire that broke out mid-day Saturday in the desert along the border of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

The fire had grown to 96 acres by 7 p.m., according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, one of the agencies responding.

Highway 138 was shut down as a precaution just after the blaze was reported at 11:42 a.m., but was reopened at 3 p.m.

The fire was reported in unincorporated Pinon Hills, near 263rd Street and State Route 138 (map). The area is about 4 miles north-northwest of the mountain community of Wrightwood.

Firefighters initially said up to 20 homes may have been threatened, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. But by Saturday afternoon, it didn't appear any homes were threatened, Julie Hutchinson, a battalion chief with CalFire, said.

Even though the fire was 80 percent contained, fire officials remained vigilant as the area saw temperatures in the mid-90s and the area was a high threat for fires.

Hutchinson said full containment would be expected Saturday evening as long as winds didn't become a problem.

"Eighty percent is good, but it's very dependent on the weather and the winds kicking up," Hutchinson said. "We always feel better when we have 100 percent containment."

Teams of firefighters from San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties and Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service battled the blaze. Authorities dispatched four water-dropping helicopters and four airtankers to help fight the blaze.

A California Highway Patrol officer initially said CHP had been called to help evacuate homes in the Pinon Hills area, west of Phelan. But no evacuation orders were initiated as of Saturday afternoon.

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