Pilot Fire: School districts still closed, containment at 64 percent

Published August 10, 2016 08:21 AM

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Smoke from the Pilot fire blows over the hills above Silverwood Lake in California on August 9th, 2016.

Dan Tuffs for KPCC

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The Pilot Fire burns near CA Highway 173 Sunday afternoon. The Pilot Fire burns in the San Bernardino National Forest Sunday afternoon August 7th, 2016. The fire had burned over 1,000 acres and was threatening structures.

Stuart Palley for KPCC

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Firefighters on CA Highway 173 its the Pilot Fire moves toward the road Sunday afternoon. The Pilot Fire burns in the San Bernardino National Forest Sunday afternoon August 7th, 2016. The fire had burned over 1,000 acres and was threatening structures.

Stuart Palley for KPCC

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The Pilot Fire burns off CA Highway 138 Sunday evening. Long exposure. The Pilot Fire burns in the San Bernardino National Forest Sunday afternoon August 7th, 2016. The fire had burned over 1,000 acres and was threatening structures.

Stuart Palley for KPCC

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August 7, 2016: The Pilot Fire burns near San Bernardino.

Richard A. aka quietoutbursts via Twitter

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The Pilot Fire burns in the San Bernardino National Forest Sunday afternoon Aug. 7, 2016.

Stuart Palley for KPCC

All schools in the Hesperia, Apple Valley and Oro Grande unified districts were closed Wednesday due to the Pilot Fire's effect on air quality, but containment is now at 64 percent, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The fire is now at 7,861 acres, with close to 1,500 firefighters battling it.

http://firetracker.scpr.org/pilot-fire-san-bernardino-county-2016/

Apple Valley schools had already been closed Tuesday because of the poor air quality and they had previously planned to reopen Wednesday. Hesperia Unified noted that it was closing Tuesday as a precaution as the fire shifted north.

The fire had gained federal attention on Tuesday:

https://twitter.com/fema/status/763063936946171904

This story has been updated.