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Video: Fire investigators search for clues about fire’s origin

Associated Press

Fire investigators on Wednesday were interviewing around 10 witnesses believed to be among the first to spot the blaze as it whipped up from a popular jogging and hiking path about seven miles southwest of the lake.

Authorities have said they believe the fire was caused by human activity, but there was no indication it was set intentionally.

Forest Service spokeswoman Beth Brady, a member of the four-person group leading the investigation, said they were confident they’d isolated the spot where the first spark landed. But after the fire flared again Tuesday afternoon, they delayed an expected announcement about the cause and decided to double-check their findings against eyewitness accounts.



“It’s important that we follow up on every lead and verify our findings,” Brady said, noting that lab analysis of some of the soil samples could also delay the release of findings for at least another day.

Fire officials were still predicting the fire would be contained by next Tuesday. Whether that date changes “depends on how well things hold together today and tomorrow,” Efird said.



Farther south, more than 1,400 firefighters were working a blaze in Kern County, about 80 miles north of Los Angeles.

The 10,700-acre fire was 50 percent contained Wednesday and moving slowly despite 15-25 mph winds and only 12 percent humidity. Two buildings had been damaged by the flames, but no homes were threatened on Wednesday, said Mike Mohler, a state fire spokesman.

“We’re just trying to work with the weather right now,” he said “It slopped over the line a little bit last night…but right now, things are looking good.”


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