San Bernardino Forest Fire Near Control

Firefighting crews had nearly contained a brush fire Saturday that consumed 415 acres of forest near the San Bernardino County community of Yucaipa.

The blaze, sparked by fireworks shortly before noon Friday, was burning through steep, brush-covered mountain slopes and canyons, San Bernardino National Forest spokeswoman Lindsay Maierhofer said.

Despite temperatures that topped 80 degrees at midnight, nearly 600 firefighters worked overnight to surround 80% of the fire by 9 a.m. Saturday. Full control was expected by noon today, Maierhofer said.

Three firefighters were injured in falls, and another suffered a minor head injury, officials said.

Elsewhere in San Bernardino County, seven suspected arson fires Thursday were controlled in a small area near Devore, 60 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The two largest fires burned 255 acres, but none of the others burned more than an acre before firefighters doused the flames, California Department of Forestry spokeswoman Nancy Best said.

In San Luis Obispo County, authorities continued their search for an arsonist who set a wildfire that burned 5,050 acres.

The blaze, which erupted last Sunday in the Santa Lucia Mountains 15 miles east of San Luis Obispo, was controlled late Friday by about 900 firefighters, Los Padres National Forest spokesman Earl Clayton said.

Firefighters Saturday were close to gaining control of a major blaze on the Western slope of the Sierra.

“It’s looking good out there,� said California Department of Forestry Fire Capt. Ralph Selby, at the Calaveras County fire in the western Sierra Nevada. “I think we’ve got a handle on it.�

The arson blaze, which covered 10,820 acres of timberland, was expected to be surrounded tonight and fully controlled by Tuesday night.

Damage was estimated at $6.3 million, and Selby said the firefighting cost exceeded $5 million. There were 14 injuries.