Firefighters were able to hold the Emigrant Fire burning near Pyramid Lake to 255 acres Tuesday as they worked to build containment lines around its perimeter.
The blaze first broke out Friday afternoon after a big rig fire on the northbound Vista Del Lago exit on Interstate 5 near Pyramid Lake spread to surrounding brush and quickly grew to more than 100 acres in the first day.
However, following a weekend of constructing fire lines and extinguishing hot spots, firefighters had kept the blaze from growing after the second day and increased containment to 75% by Tuesday evening.
“Construction (of fire lines) is being challenged by inaccessible terrain, and steep drop-offs along the fire’s edge. However, heat within the perimeter is diminishing,” the Angeles National Forest’s Tuesday update reported.
Elevated critical fire weather conditions are set to continue through Wednesday in the area as temperatures remain warm, winds remain breezy and humidity remains low, according to National Weather Service officials.
While all lanes of Interstate 5 had been reopened, the exit ramps for Vista Del Lago Road remained closed Tuesday, according to fire officials.
