Crime & Safety
Crews Make Progress On 5,856-Acre Fire Burning In Desert
The Lost Lake Fire near Blythe broke out Thursday.
BLYTHE, CA — The Lost Lake Fire near Lost Lake Resort, north of Blythe, was 50 percent contained Tuesday after burning at least 5,856 acres.
The fire began as a 25-acre vegetation blaze at about 7 a.m. Thursday near a recreational vehicle park, Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department reported. Crews have since stopped its progression and expected to fully contain the fire by approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Fire authorities evacuated a recreational vehicle park Thursday when the fire had burned approximately 400 acres. All residents were allowed to return to their homes Saturday evening.
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Residents living in 15 homes along 15th Avenue in Arizona were also evacuated when the fire spread across the border. Incident reports stated that they were able to return to their homes Sunday.
The fire is mainly smoldering along the Colorado River basin where vegetation is the thickest, according to incident reports.
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The blaze also prompted the closure of northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 95 between Agnes Wilson Road and Second Avenue, Caltrans reported. A Caltrans spokesperson told City News Service on Tuesday that the roads were reopened.
A total of 123 personnel were battling the blaze Tuesday, working to secure the perimeter around the fire, which continues along both sides of the Colorado River in California and Arizona.
Six large helicopters supported ground firefighters to contain the spread. Ground firefighters used heavy equipment, a fire boat and engines to mitigate the fire.
Crews planned to keep the fire inside the river basin and away from community areas to protect the impacted homes in Arizona along 15th Avenue. Incident reports added that firefighters were working with resource advisors to protect identified cultural, archeological and other sensitive sites.
Firefighters from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Colorado River Indian Tribes have assisted in the firefight. One firefighter from another agency suffered a non-life-threatening wound during the fire, Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department Public Information Officer Jody Hagemann told CNS.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
