With windy conditions after a period of dry weather, the ingredients for a fire near the Owens River were set Sunday afternoon. At about 12:30, fire fighters received the reports that a fire was burning along the Owens River south of Bishop, near Warm Springs Road.

Volunteers from Bishop and Big Pine responded as did CDF crews and the Forest Service. When the firefighters arrived on scene, burning brush and cottonwoods along the both sides of the river were sending a column of smoke high into the sky over the Owens Valley.

With the winds Sunday, this fire burned into the afternoon. CDF Firefighters report that the blaze was contained at about 85 acres in size. Crews were still monitoring the burned area for hot spots today.

With no lightning reported in the area Sunday, this fire appears to be human caused. Whether the fire was intentionally set or not remains under investigation.

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