Mosquito fire surpasses 63,000 acres to become largest blaze in California this year
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LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Officials say a rare blaze in Los Angeles County has tripled in size to become the largest and most destructive fire in state history.
The fire was reported at 9:30 a.m. at about 2,500 acres just north of Los Angeles. It then grew to 2,900 acres, burning in the same area where two other large blazes burned two years ago, and then, again, three years ago.
The fire is at about 6.6 miles per hour. At its current rate, it may burn through the night, then be allowed to die out.
The fire is burning on the side of Bear Mountain, and a spokeswoman for the agency that manages the mountain says the flames aren’t burning any part of the mountain.
Kern County spokeswoman Karen Jones says the fire was reported by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and was contained to the 2,900-acre Brushy Mountain fire.
The incident is now under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
This is the third large fire that burned in the same area last year. Earlier blazes burned in 2015 and 2016.
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