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UPDATE: Washington Fire Burns More Than 25 Square Miles Near Lake Tahoe; No containment

3:15 p.m. UPDATE: No containment on the Washington Fire that has burned more than 16,500 acres.

Air tankers and helicopters helped hundreds of firefighters battle a wildfire south of Lake Tahoe that grown to more than 25 square miles.

No structures have been damaged, but the California mountain town of Markleeville remained on standby for possible evacuations Tuesday. Several campgrounds along a highway have been evacuated.

One firefighter had a heat-related injury but was treated and is recovering.

Strong erratic winds and severe drought conditions have stoked the fire that was ignited by lightning Friday. About 500 personnel battled the blaze about 20 miles west of the Nevada border.

 

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SACRAMENTO (CBS13/AP) - Wildfires are tearing through some drought-stricken areas of California. They include a massive blaze in a remote area and some smaller but dangerous fires. Here's a look at the latest hotspots and what crews are doing to control them.

Air tankers and helicopters helped hundreds of firefighters battle the Washington Fire south of Lake Tahoe that has burned nearly 15 square miles of timber and grass. No structures have been damaged but the California mountain town of Markleeville remained on standby for possible evacuations.

About 500 personnel were expected to be on the fire lines about 20 miles west of the Nevada border by Tuesday.

The fire was sparked by lightning Friday, and it was partially contained Monday night after forcing the evacuation of some campgrounds. No one has been injured.

Highways 89 and 4 are both closed until further notice.

RELATED: Washington Fire Incident Page

Cooler weather helped crews make progress against a huge forest fire in a remote area of the San Bernardino Mountains.

The fire about 90 miles east of Los Angeles was partially contained and holding steady at about 27 square miles as firefighters attacked the flames with a fleet of water-dropping aircraft.

About 500 buildings, including old cabins, had been threatened, but none was lost. The flames forced several hundred people to leave camps and vacation homes.

Another blaze near Santa Margarita in central California burned two homes, four mobile homes and two recreational vehicles that people lived in. The fire burned less than 3 square miles, along with 10 other buildings, seven vehicles, a boat and a trailer. It was mostly contained.

(TM and © Copyright 2010 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or Redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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