The Lawler Fire, which started Sunday, Jan. 8, remains at 70 percent containment and has burned about 14 acres, according to Kate Kramer, Forest Service Public Information Officer. The fire is about four miles north of Idyllwild in the Dark Canyon area.

“It hasn’t spread over night,” Kramer said after the morning team briefing. “We expecting good progress today with much calmer winds.”
Full containment is estimated to be 6 p.m., Monday evening, Jan. 9, Kramer said.

A helicopter helping control the Lawler Fire dips for water at Idyllwild Water District's Foster Lake. Photo by Jim Bramble-Nessheim

The small community of Eagle’s Nest is still threatened, but no structure has been burned or is currently endangered, Kramer said.

Traffic is still being moved through the area with the assistance of a Cal Trans pilot car, Kramer added.

Personnel assigned to the fire have been reduced from more than 200 to about 170 as of Monday morning. One helicopter is still assigned to the incident. The incident commander is Forest Service Battalion Chief Fred Espinoza.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and is under investigation