Sequoia Fire At 66,000 Acres
The wildfire in the Sequoia National Forest increased slightly overnight to 66,000 acres. Fire officials say the blaze this morning was still only 30% contained, unchanged during the past two days. The fire continues to spread slowly to the northeast. Firelines are holding on the west to protect groves of some of the world´s largest, oldest trees. The cost of fighting the fire blamed on an out-of-control campfire has reached more than 9-million dollars. A Bakersfield woman was arrested and accused of setting the cooking fire without a permit. For the past three days firebreaks and other measures have kept the western flank away from eleven groves of the giant sequoias. The fire that began Sunday burned within one mile of the Packsaddle Grove, and within two miles of the Trail of 100 Giants.