Homes lost; “0% contained”

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Avalon Fire Chief Steve Hoefs said, ‘The operation went extremely well, although we had one or two firefighters who suffered smoke inhalation and were taken off the island. The fire is zero percent contained. We held the fire from expensive homes, from hotels, schools and condominiums. We saved all of those structures. We did lose a few modest homes in Avalon Canyon.’

He said the operaton included five water-dropping helicopters and eight fixed-wing aircraft. Late Thursday night two hovercraft arrived from Camp Pendleton, each carrying five engines.

Hoefs said the helicopters would begin flying again about 6 a.m. He said approximately 300 to 400 residents have been evacuated from this island ‘but the majority of the populaton of about 3,600 is still here.’ He said many of them are in the harbor area staying in businesses and homes.

-Louis Sahagun in Avalon