Update: Containment progress - Burro Fire in Los Angeles County at 20%

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Updated: 10:12 a.m. May 19

First discovered: 20 hours ago, 1:26 p.m. May 18

Initial location: Near Burro Peak, Los Angeles County, Calif.

Fire unit: US Forest Service-Angeles National Forest

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Burro Fire

Burro Fire initially started 1:26 p.m. May 18 near Near Burro Peak in Los Angeles County, California.

Since its discovery 20 hours ago, it has burned 30.1 acres. As of Tuesday morning, the fire crew succeeded in containing 20% of this fire. However, investigations into the cause are ongoing.

Fire containment

What does 20% containment mean?

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 20% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 80% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

United Robots Sacramento

This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 8:26 AM.