Stubborn California Wildfire Contained

October 20, 2008

A wildfire in the San Fernando Valley that destroyed 15 homes has been surrounded.

State and local fire official announced Saturday that the 14,700-acre blaze near Porter Ranch was 100 percent contained, nearly a week after it began. They could not say exactly when the fire would be out.

Closed roads have been reopened and evacuation orders for some neighborhoods have been lifted.

The fire erupted Monday when high winds knocked down an electrical distribution line that fell into dry brush. It cost $12.6 million to fight, destroyed 15 homes and 63 outbuildings and damaged 11 homes.

The blaze was one of two this week only a few miles apart in the San Fernando Valley. A 4,800-acre blaze that destroyed about 40 homes and killed one person was contained.

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