Updated: 2:39 p.m. Nov. 10

First discovered: 29 hours ago, 8:55 a.m. Nov. 9

Initial location: Boyd Road and Graeser Road, Northeast of Holtville, Imperial County, Calif.

Fire unit: Bureau of Land Management

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Highline Fire

Highline Fire initially started 8:55 a.m. Nov. 9 in Imperial County, California.

It has burned 10.3 acres after being active for 29 hours. By Monday afternoon, the fire crew managed to contain 70% of this fire. The cause of it remains under investigation.

Fire containment

Understanding what 70% containment means

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 70% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 30% 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