Updated: 8:16 p.m. July 17

First discovered: 53 hours ago, 3:05 p.m. July 15

Initial location: Gravett Place near Center Pointe Parkway, Los Angeles County, Calif.

Fire unit: LA County Fire Department

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Pointe Fire

Pointe Fire initially started 3:05 p.m. July 15 at Gravett Place near Center Pointe Parkway in Los Angeles County, California.

As of Friday evening, it had consumed 52 acres. By Friday evening, 32% of the wildfire was brought under containment. Currently, there are no details on the cause of the fire.

Fire containment

Interpreting what 32% containment means

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 32% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 68% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn’t always correlate to safety level. Also, it’s important to note that containment doesn’t mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident’s central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire