Updated: 5:14 p.m. Aug. 1

First discovered: 1 month ago, 9:53 a.m. July 1

Initial location: Siskiyou County, Calif.

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Summit

Summit Fire initially started 9:53 a.m. July 1 in Siskiyou County, California and it is a part of MARBLE COMPLEX fire.

After being active for a month, it has burned 701 acres of federal land managed by the United States Forest Service. By Friday evening, the fire crew effectively contained 90% of the wildfire. The cause remains undetermined. So far, the cost for addressing the fire stands at $50,000.

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 90% contained?

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 90% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 10% 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