700-acre blaze not contained

Southern California’s early wildfire season continued Wednesday as a 700-acre blaze burned uncontained in the San Jacinto Wilderness of the San Bernardino National Forest.

The fire burned eastward in heavy brush high on remote Apache Peak near Pacific Crest Trail, about six miles east of the Riverside County community of Mountain Center, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Only hand crews were fighting the fire, which erupted Tuesday about 100 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, cool, moist weather helped firefighters mop up remnants of a 584-acre wildfire that last weekend threatened the city of Sierra Madre in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains 15 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Relative humidity reached 100% overnight, aiding more than 920 firefighters still working the scene.

The burn area was 88% contained, and officials hoped for full containment by Friday or earlier, said Angeles National Forest fire information officer Stephanie Vela. The Sierra Madre blaze erupted Saturday during a brief siege of record-setting heat.