Forest Wildfire Now Contained
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A wildfire that raged for 10 days through the Cleveland National Forest and burned 15,643 acres of 100-year-old brush, rare Douglas fir trees and part of a natural preserve for owls and eagles was fully contained late Monday.
More than 2,500 federal, state and local firefighters worked to strengthen fire lines on the boundaries of the blaze, which earlier had roared through northern San Diego and Riverside counties and threatened the Palomar Mountain Observatory.
“It’s still smoky, but I don’t think you’d find a flame out there if you tried,” said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Ann Westling.
However, roads leading to the observatory remained closed Monday, and several crews and engines were still in that area, Westling said.
Firefighters now will begin “rehabilitating” the wilderness area by scattering seeds and terracing steep slopes to help prevent erosion from winter rains.
The fire destroyed one house and several structures, injured at least 37 firefighters and cost an estimated $6.5 million to control, Westling said.
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