The Southland’s three wildfires — two in the Angeles National Forest and one in Montebello — appeared today to be on their last legs, with none of them showing active flames.
A transient is due to re-appear in court Aug. 28 to answer charges that he set the fire in Montebello Hills.
Arturo Miallan Aguilar, 45, was apparently trying to cook a meal in the riverbed of the Rio Hondo in Montebello Sunday afternoon when the fire got away from him, authorities said.
He pleaded not guilty in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday to a charge of recklessly causing a fire. Prosecutors said Aguilar faces up to three years in prison if convicted.
The blaze itself, known as the Lincoln Fire, was 80 per cent contained, with no active areas, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector David Dantic said. The fire consumed 370 acres and also damaged oil field infrastructure, with the extent of that damage is still being determined.
Firefighters were also closer to extinguishing the 300-acre Warm Fire in Castaic today. The blaze was at 75 per cent containment, with the U.S. Forest Service opting to reduce the number of firefighters at the scene from 170 to 140.
The fire was reported around 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the area of Lake Hughes and Warm Springs roads. It destroyed six vacant structures.
The other L.A.-area fire, burning on the remote upper slopes of the Angeles National Forest above Glendora, was 94 per cent contained, authorities said today.
The Cabin Fire consumed 1,723 acres. Marc Peebles of the Forest Service said firefighters were now seeking out hot spots, having extinguished the remaining pockets of active fire.
Eleven firefighters suffered minor injuries since the fire was first reported around 1 p.m. Friday near the Rincon-Red Box Road off Highway 39.
