NEAR LOMPOC, Calif. -- A wildfire near Vandenberg Air Force Base in California continues to rage, growing in size to around 12,272 acres Wednesday, authorities said, noting the fire is 45 percent contained as of early this morning.
The fire boundary is relatively stable as of late Tuesday night, as the fire continues to burn along part of the south-east ridgelines, Air Force base fire officials said. The fire is not likely to spread beyond containment lines, Vandenberg Air Force Base officials added in a statement this morning.
"Overnight tonight, a specially equipped aircraft will survey the fire boundary to determine its size and location," Air Force base officials said in a statement. "Using infrared heat detection, the aircraft will gather data that is used to build a map of the fire. Fire officials are hopeful the flight tonight will show gains made over the course of the day."
The wind is forecast to blow northwest, according to authorities at the base, and that wind is expected to aid firefighting efforts by directing the fire towards already burned areas.
About 1,000 firefighters have been deployed to fight the fire and "steady progress" has been made, officials said, though "hot spots" will likely linger for several days.
