2 Inland Wildfires Nearly Encircled

Two fires in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, which together have burned more than 5,100 acres, are expected to be contained today, fire officials said.

As temperatures dropped and winds died down, firefighters fought to gain the upper hand on the Paradise fire in Morongo Valley and the Soboba fire near San Jacinto, both of which began Wednesday.

Crews used axes, shovels and chainsaws to remove brush and other fuel for the flames, said Capt. Steve Diaz, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in Riverside County.

Officials say the danger is not over because containment doesn’t mean the fires are under control.

“If the fire was to jump the control lines somewhere, we would have a new fire,” said Capt. Steve Faris, spokesman for the state forestry department in San Bernardino County.

The Paradise fire in San Bernardino County has so far blackened 3,022 acres, destroyed six houses and damaged another.

The Soboba fire in Riverside County has so far burned 2,080 acres.

Two firefighters battling the blaze have sustained injuries -- one hurt a knee and the other suffered from abdominal pain. No structures were damaged.

Meanwhile, in the eastern Mojave Desert, about 500 firefighters battled a group of four fires -- Hackberry, Wild Horse, Ranch and Brant -- that continued to consume dry brush.

So far, 52,409 acres have burned there, along with five homes and six other structures, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Greg Cleveland, who is working with the federal Bureau of Land Management to battle the fires. A dozen people were also evacuated from their homes.

The causes of all the fires are under investigation.