Evacuation orders were lifted for the Big Bear area Thursday as containment grew on the 22,601-acre El Dorado Fire, fire officials announced.
Highway 38 still remains closed from Bryant Street to Lake Williams Drive in Big Bear City, and the communities of Mountain Home Village and Forest Falls remain under an evacuation warning. Only residents are allowed to access these communities with proper identification.
Meanwhile, the Angeles Oaks, Seven Oaks and Onyx Summit communities are to remain under mandatory evacuation orders.
Fire officials are reminding the public that all U.S. Forest Service roads, trails and land remain closed.
The El Dorado Fire started on Sept. 5 at the El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa during a triple-digit heat wave. It was sparked by a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used at a gender reveal party during a weekend of triple-digit heat and high fire danger across the state.
A 39-year-old wildland firefighter died Sept. 17 while battling the blaze.
As of Thursday morning, the blaze was 81% contained.
