Palisades fire’s containment increases to 66%

The wildfire that broke out a week ago in Pacific Palisades was 66% contained by Thursday, May 20, after burning through more than 1,150 acres.

“Crews continue to assault the fire by air and by ground, to continue increasing containment,” Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

No structures have been lost, and the only injury has been a minor eye injury to a firefighter, LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas said. Crews on the ground, which included 450 firefighters at one point, have been aided by water-dropping helicopters and three fixed-wing, retardant-dropping aircraft.

Terrazas warned hikers to stay away from the area while the firefighting effort was underway.

Containment is the percentage of a fire’s border where the blaze will no longer grow beyond because of natural borders, such as bodies of water or the work of firefighters.

Ramon Santos Rodriguez, a 48-year-old homeless man, was charged Tuesday in connection with the blaze: He faces one felony count each of arson of a structure or forest, and arson during a state of emergency. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held in lieu of $350,000 bail.

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