Fire update

Authorities declared the 1,100-acre Grass Valley Fire 70 percent contained Thursday night, but the more problematic Slide Fire held at 15 percent containment, with full containment not anticipated any time soon.

"We won't have containment on that one for awhile," U.S. Forest Service spokesman John Miller said from Rim of the World High School late Thursday night.

Since the fires erupted Sunday and Monday, firefighters have been focusing on protecting homes and businesses. Now that the Santa Ana winds have died down, firefighters are placing more emphasis on getting a line around the fires and holding them.

But winds can shift at any time, and flare-ups are a reality.

"Having Santa Anas come up can pose some new challenges," Miller said.

More than 100 homes have been destroyed in the Grass Valley Fire in Lake Arrowhead, and 6,000 more remain threatened. Two helicopters, 23 hand crews and 780 firefighters fought the blaze and worked on cutting line Thursday.

The 11,625-acre Slide Fire burning in Green Valley Lake and in Running Springs is 15 percent contained, with 1,359 firefighters working the fire. More than 200 homes have been destroyed in the blaze and 10,000 remain threatened.

The overnight action plan for the Grass Valley Fire late Thursday and Friday morning called for firefighters to hold the eastern flank at its present location, keep it south of Pilot Peak Road and east of Miller
Canyon. For the Slide Fire, the objectives call for keeping the fire south of Crab Flats Road, north of City Creek Road, west of Highway 18 and east of Sheep Creek and the east fork of City Creek.

Operational objectives for both fires were to contain the Grass Valley Fire and to protect structures in Running Springs and Green Valley Lake.

Joe Nelson, joe.nelson@sbsun.com 11:12 p.m.