- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
More containment gained on Valley fire; acreage holds steady
SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters held the Valley fire to no growth on Tuesday, while gaining additional percentage points on the containment side.
The fire remained at 76,067 acres on Tuesday night, with containment inching up to 79 percent.
The number of total structures destroyed remained at 1,910, as Cal Fire said final damage assessments take place to confirm the conclusions of an initial survey.
Cobb is the last area remaining community under evacuation. Structures still under threat in Cobb total 3,043, Cal Fire said.
Officials said Tuesday at a press briefing that Cobb remains under evacuation while fire suppression activities continue, with utility companies dealing with downed lines and damaged poles, and hazards continuing to be cleared.
Cal Fire said firefighters continue their work to strengthen and hold existing perimeter lines and put out hot spots across the fire area.
County Supervisor Jim Comstock told Lake County News that on his Middletown ranch, much of which burned in the first days of the fire, a smoldering oak tree lit up on Monday night, which resulted in him leaving a meeting and joining firefighters to see that it was put out.
Cal Fire said plans also are under way to do landscape rehabilitation in order to return control lines – as much as possible – to the condition they were in before the incident broke out on Sept. 12.
Resources continued to be scaled back on Tuesday, according to Cal Fire.
Total personnel had dropped to approximately 3,303, with 288 engines, 84 hand crews, 47 water tenders, 25 dozers and 10 helicopters also assigned, Cal Fire said.
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