The last evacuation warning for the 33,234-acre Apple fire—which included Morongo Valley—was lifted Monday. The Cal Fire crews who had been staging in Morongo Valley have left the area. The blaze is now burning mostly in the San Gorgonio Wilderness and containment is at 55 percent as of Tuesday morning. Firefighters are being withdrawn from areas no longer considered in danger. Crews are taking advantage of natural barriers, such as rocky outcroppings, to use in their containment lines. In the north, crews are securing the perimeter by building fireline and carefully inspecting the area for any hotspots. In some areas, specialized crews will be using suppression strategies with the least environmental impacts in the wilderness. The San Gorgonio Wilderness and a section of the Pacific Crest Trail remain closed.
APPLE FIRE EVACUATION WARNINGS LIFTED; OVER 33,000 ACRES BURNED, 55% CONTAINED
