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GORMAN (CNS) – A rapidly moving wildfire that broke out north of Pyramid Lake and scorched 577 acres was 40% contained early Friday.
The King Fire broke out shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday in the 45100 block of Copco Avenue, east of the Golden State (5) Freeway and south of state Route 138.
Firefighters from the Los Angeles County, Angeles National Forest and Kern County fire departments were jointly battling the flames amid winds that at times gusted up to 30 miles an hour, according to reports from the scene.
Video showed high, intense flames leaping in the air not far from the Golden State Freeway.
“The winds have been very erratic,” John Miller, public information officer with the U.S. Forest Service, told reporters at the scene Thursday. “This fire went from an acre to 100 acres in an extremely short period of time.”
By 3 a.m., the fire had exceeded 200 acres as it chewed through brush and surrounded the Pyramid Lake RV park, destroying a double-wide trailer, two vehicles and two out buildings.
By 7 a.m., the fire had scored 490 acres, officials said. The acreage and containment numbers were updated around 12:30 p.m. Thursday to 577 acres burned and 20% containment.
According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, containment doubled to 40% shortly before 8:10 p.m.
An evacuation warning was been issued for the Paradise RV Park and three other areas in the vicinity of the fire, according to Angeles National Forest officials.
The fire forced an early morning closure of the Golden State Freeway, which was reopened around 4 a.m.
Two northbound lanes remained closed Thursday afternoon between Vista del Lago Road and Smokey Bear Road, Miller said. Northbound off-ramps at both roads were also closed. Northbound traffic was backed up for miles.
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