Blue Ridge fire doesn’t grow, but containment jumps to 16%

Firefighters have reached 16% percent containment of the Blue Ridge fire, which has scorched 14,334 acres where Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties meet but didn’t spread farther overnight.

It did continue to threaten homes – an estimated 20,100, with evacuation orders left in place for parts of Yorba Linda, Brea, Chino Hills and the Sleepy Hollow area of Chino.

Orange County Fire Authority officials reported earlier in the week that 10 homes in Yorba Linda had been damaged, though CalFire said in a Wednesday morning update that seven had been damaged and one was destroyed. It’s unclear what type of structure was destroyed.

The Blue Ridge started just before 1 p.m. Monday as two fires merged. It is unclear what started them.

They ignited soon after another large blaze, the Silverado fire, started nearby east of Irvine.

Both blazes grew quickly, pushed by strong gusts of wind that blew into the region on Monday and part of Tuesday.

To firefighters’ relief, forecasts for Wednesday call for a much calmer wind in the Yorba Linda area, although the humidity was expected to stay low.

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