(Photo courtesy: CalFire SLO)
(KMJ) – The wild fire burning in the hills west of the city of Coalinga continues to grow.
The MIneral Fire ignited July 13th and now covers more than 28,200 acres off Mineral Springs Road and Highway 198. The cause of this fire remains under investigation. But CalFire says the nearly 1,600 fire personnel now battling this blaze have achieved 49% containment.
The fire has destroyed a total of 7 structures and several evacuation orders and warnings remain in place. And, HIghway 198 remains closed to all non-emergency traffic from Firestone Avenue to the Monterey County Line.
This blaze also continues to impact the Valley’s air quality. The Valley Air District says an air quality alert remains in place due to the potential exposure to particulates in the smoke from this fire.
