LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters had another successful day on the Jerusalem fire's lines on Saturday, holding the fire to no new growth and pushing containment up once more.
The fire, burning since last Sunday in the Jerusalem Valley northeast of Middletown, remained at 25,146 acres on Saturday evening, with containment ticking slightly upward to 80 percent, based on Cal Fire's latest report.
As fire officials have been able to safely access the fire area, they have continued damage assessments, which led to Cal Fire increasing the number of destroyed homes to nine and outbuildings to 18. The fire has threatened a total of 50 structures.
On Saturday afternoon, improving conditions led Cal Fire and the Lake County Sheriff's Office to announce that mandatory evacuations prompted earlier in the week by the fire had been lifted, as Lake County News has reported.
Officials have urged fire area residents to exercise extreme caution as they return home and begin evaluating the damage, and to be aware that potential hazards may exist.
Cal Fire also reminded the public to be aware of fire crews and emergency vehicles that continue to work in the area.
Approximately 2,451 firefighting personnel remain assigned to the Jerusalem fire, Cal Fire reported, along with 125 engines, 64 hand crews, 22 water tenders, 21 dozers and 11 helicopters.
Altogether, some 74 law enforcement and fire agencies from across the state are participating in the effort to control the Jerusalem fire, Cal Fire said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean.
He said Cal Fire expects the incident to be fully contained on Friday, Aug. 21.
Fire officials also reported earlier on Saturday that smoke in the county's skies was not a result of either the Jerusalem fire or the now-contained Rocky fire, but wildland fires farther north: www.bit.ly/1DTzHmq .
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Jerusalem fire: No growth in acreage, more containment; new damages reported
- Elizabeth Larson
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