Full Notification

POWERHOUSE FIRE
Incident Update

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 6 p.m.
Fire Information Line: (626) 574-5200
Fax Line: (626) 574-5204 Twitter @Angeles_NF

Location: Angeles National Forest, Hughes Lake, Elizabeth Lake, and Green Valley

County: Los Angeles County Start Date: May 30, 2013

Structures Destroyed: 16

Structures Threatened: 275

Acres: 32,032

Containment: 65%

Estimated Cost: $11,400,000

Current Situation:

Crews continue to make good progress toward slowing and containing the fire. Significant demobilization of excess resources has begun as fire lines have held and additional progress has been made. Cooperating agencies are active in restoring infrastructure affected by the fire as damage assessment teams continue to determine the impact of the fire. Fire spread is expected to be minimal over most of the fire during the operational period. The threat of fire spotting across Elizabeth Lake Canyon near Cottonwood Campground remains; therefore, the potential for extreme fire spread exists. Fire spread is expected to be minimal if the fire does not spot across Elizabeth Lake Canyon. Fire activity will persist along the perimeter of a large interior island of unburned fuel in the area of Pine Canyon north of Lake Hughes as the vegetation is consumed. Smoke will be visible during this fire activity.

Structure Assessment:

The fire is threatening approximately 275 commercial and residential structures, although the threat has decreased with firefighting efforts. Structure protection remains in place.

Evacuation: The Unified Command has made every attempt to provide access to area residents wherever possible and is committed to monitoring access and closures for the duration of the incident. The reasons for the closures are to provide for public safety and to give firefighters the best access for fire ground operations. No additional evacuations are expected. The communities of Lake Hughes, Elizabeth Lake, and the Fairmont area of Antelope Acres reopened today to residents only.
The Red Cross Evacuation Shelter is at Marie Kerr Park (Palmdale).
The Lancaster and Antelope Valley fairgrounds are being used to shelter animals.

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