Westridge Fire in Tortolita Mountains now 480 acres

Westridge Fire in Tortolita Mountains now 480 acres

FIRE IN THE TORTOLITAMOUNTAINS.

IT'S SIMILAR TO THECONDITIONS FIREFIGHTERS FACEDWITH THE MASSIVE BIGHORN FIRE.THE WESTRIDGE FIRE WASBELIEVED TO BE OVER 22 HUNDREDACRES THIS MORNING -- BUT NOWWE ARE LEARNING -- IT'S 480ACRES.

THAT'S BECAUSE OF MOREACCURATE MAPPING OF THE AREA-- BY AIRCRAFT -- THROUGHOUTTHE DAY.

9 ON YOUR SIDE'SCIARA ENCINAS EXPLAINS -- HOWTHIS FIRE MIGHT HAVE STARTED.CIARA ON CAM: RIGHT NOW,THAT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION BUTSTATE FORESTRY THINKS THE FIREWAS HUMAN CAUSED.

"THAT'S THEVEHICLE FIRE IN.

BUT AGAIN, WEDO KNOW IT WAS FROM AWS WHENWE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THEACTUAL CAUSE OF THE FIRE, BUTTHAT'S INITIALLY BELIEVED TOBE." (NATS OF CARS DRIVING BY)MANY LIVING IN THE DOVEMOUNTAIN AREA LIKELY SAW THEORANGE GLOW COME FROM THE TOPOF THE MOUNTAIN LAST NIGHT.LUCKILY, NO STRUCTURES ARE INDANGER - ABOUT 60 FIREFIGHTERSARE WORKING TO CONTROL THEFIRE.

SOT: "HOWEVER,FIREFIGHTERS DO FEEL LIKE THEYARE GETTING A REALLY GOODHANDLE ON THIS FIRE AGAINCONFIRMED AT 480 ACRES WITH NOTHREAT TO STRUCTURES, BUTALWAYS YOU KNOW PEOPLE AREREALLY GOOD ABOUT BEINGVIGILANT STAYING ALERT AND PAYATTENTION YOU KNOW AGAIN."STATE FORESTRY SAYS THERE AREMULTIPLE WAYS HUMANS CAN CAUSEFIRES AND SAYS ALTHOUGH THEYAREN'T ALWAYS INTENTIONAL THEYARE PREVENTABLE.

"IT'S REALLYIMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE DON'TGET COMPLACENT.

YOU KNOW, STAYVIGILANT THERE'S SOME AREASTHAT AREN'T UNDER FIRERESTRICTIONS ANYMORE.

THATDOESN'T MEAN YOU GETCOMPLACENT YOU KNOW STILL PAYATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'REDOING, IF YOU CAN IF YOU'RE INAN AREA WHERE THERE'S ACAMPFIRE ALLOWED, MAKE SUREIT'S OUT AND COOL TO THE TOUCHBEFORE YOU LEAVE." CIARA TAG:9 ON YOUR SIDE WILL CONTINUETO UPDATE YOU ON THE STATUS OFTHE WESTRIDGE FIRE.

STAY WITHUS ON AIR AND ONLINE.REPORTING AT THE TORTOLITAMOUNTAINS, CIARA ENCINAS KGUN9 ON YOUR SIDE.LIKE THE BIGHORN FIRE -- CREWS