NU Online News Service, Oct. 5, 2:54 p.m. EDT

Fire officials battling yet another wildfire in California feel they are getting a handle on the latest blaze as the weather improved overnight.

The most recent wildfire, located in San Bernardino County--named the Sheep Fire--broke out on Oct. 3 and has consumed 7,500 acres and destroyed three homes. Between 4,000 and 6,000 people were evacuated in the face of the wildfire, which threatened the town of Wrightwood, said Peter Moraga, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Network for California (IINC).

Winds that reached speeds of 50 mph died down, according to reports, allowing firefighters to move aggressively to fight the blaze with air tankers.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 20 percent of the fire has been contained.

The worst wildfire so far this year was the Station Fire in Los Angeles County that consumed 160,557 acres. The fire--which began Aug. 26, destroyed 80 homes and took the lives of two firefighters--is 98 percent controlled.

Mr. Moraga said California has been pretty lucky so far, but the wildfire season is going into the worst part of the year as the offshore, warm, dry Santa Anna winds begin to blow in, increasing the potential for catastrophic fire.

According to the most recent statistics posted on the IINC's Web site (which contains the latest updates from the Insurance Department of insured losses as of Jan. 8), last year was not the worst year for insurers, who experienced $721 million in insured losses. The worst year for wildfires was 2007 with close to $2.36 billion in insured losses coming from 38,000 claims. There are no figures this year, to date.

Special Reports /

Calif. Officials Gain Control Of Latest Fire

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