The Latest: San Bernardino Mountains fire evacuations lifted

LAKE ARROWHEAD, Calif. – The Latest on California wildfires (all times local):

9:40 a.m.

The last evacuees from communities near a 6-day-old wildfire in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains can go home.

The U.S. Forest Service says all remaining orders and advisories for mountain communities were lifted at 9 a.m. Friday.

A section of State Route 173 northwest of Lake Arrowhead remains closed along with forest roads still being used by firefighters.

Containment lines have been established around 80 per cent of the fire, which posed a threat to as many as 5,300 residences at its height. No homes have been lost.

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Firefighters are closing the loop on a wildfire that has scorched more than 12 1/2 square miles in the San Bernardino Mountains between the Lake Arrowhead resort region and the high desert to the north.

The fire, which broke out Aug. 7, is 80 per cent contained Friday.

At the fire’s height it posed a threat to as many as 5,300 residences, but no homes have been lost.

On the Central Coast, California’s biggest wildfire is now 110 square miles and containment remains at 55 per cent.

The fire command says it grew minimally overnight but it continues to spread slowly toward the Big Sur area.

Officials say backfiring operations may require closure of Highway 1.

More than 4,500 personnel are assigned to the fire, along with 19 helicopters and six air tankers.