Updated: 2:42 p.m. July 25
First discovered: 5 days ago, 9:24 p.m. July 20
Initial location: Inyo County, Calif.
Fire type: Wildfire
Fire name: Crest
Crest Fire initially started 9:24 p.m. July 20 in Inyo County, 2 Miles Nw From Rovana.
After being active for five days, it has burned 6.7 acres of federal land managed by the United States Forest Service. As of Friday afternoon, a fire crew of 86 effectively contained 75% of the fire. The cause remains undetermined. So far, combating the fire has required $445,000 in expenses.
Brush, standing at two feet, is the main fuel driving this wildfire.
The effects of two-foot brush as a wildfire fuel
Due to the density and flammability of brush vegetation, brush fires create moderate to high intensity flames. Containment efforts might be challenging, especially in dry and windy conditions, as such wildfire tends to spread rapidly. There’s an increased risk of ember production, which can lead to spot fires as well as brush fuels produce dense smoke.
Fire containment
What does it mean for a fire to be 75% contained?
The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 75% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 25% 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: National Interagency Fire Center