LOS ANGELES _ A fire that has scorched nearly 8,000 acres in the mountains of San Bernardino County is now 64 percent contained, officials said Wednesday.
The Pilot fire has burned 7,861 acres and on Tuesday officials had estimated only 6 percent containment. Officials attributed the drastic improvement to containment lines firefighters have been building since the fire was first reported about noon Sunday.
"Until we actually are convinced that those lines have been tested and are going to hold, we're not going to include them in that total," said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Bob Poole. "Those lines that were built _ now we're convinced that they're good, solid lines."
Poole said there was only "minimal growth overnight" and that firefighters are prioritizing the protection of the Deer Lodge Park and North Lake Arrowhead communities.
"We've made significant progress, absolutely," Poole said. "But there's still a threat to those communities."
Poole said the fire is probably within a mile of the Deer Lodge Park community.
"That's our priority, to stop it where it is," he said. "From what I've seen from yesterday afternoon it looks like we have stopped it."
School districts across the area canceled classes again Wednesday. The Apple Valley, Hesperia and Oro Grande Unified districts gave students the day off, citing poor air quality.
The American Red Cross has set up a reception and care center at Oak Hills High School and pet owners can bring smaller animals to the county's Devore Animal Shelter.
