The Sesnon fire, one of two major fires near Los Angeles, Calif., is just 20 percent contained, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department's Web site.
But radio news reports have noted that with winds dying down, some firefighting trucks will be leaving the area even though full containment is still several days away.
The second fire, the Marek fire, is now 80 percent contained and the L.A. Fire Department Web site notes that all evacuations associated with that fire have been lifted. The two fires have destroyed or damaged 102 residential and outbuildings, according to the L.A. Fire Department.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has now declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County, in addition to the previously announced states of emergency declared in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Tomas Girnius, research scientist at AIR Worldwide, said in a statement, "The two fires spread down from the northern fringes of the San Fernando Valley fueled by the onset of this year's Santa Ana winds."
He added, "The winds on Monday were so strong that embers were being blown a quarter mile away and flames arched up 80 feet."
Mr. Girnius said the origin of the fires is unknown. "The Sesnon fire began Monday at about 10:30 am on 3,700-foot high Oat Mountain near the town of Chatsworth, and by mid-day Tuesday was little contained," he noted.
The Marek fire, he said, had by Tuesday morning destroyed nearly 5,000 acres of rugged canyon land below the mountainous Angeles National Forest.
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