HATHAWAY (AP) -- A fire that started from a lightning strike over the weekend had grown to about 600 acres Wednesday, but fire officials remained confident they would have the blaze contained by day's end.
The Graveyard fire, about seven miles south of Hathaway, was burning in mostly ponderosa pine and juniper and was about 80 percent contained Wednesday morning, said Dena Lang, a fire information officer.
She said crews had a quiet night and despite hot temperatures, still expected to have lines around the fire by midnight.
``It's already 80 degrees here,'' Lang said Wednesday morning, ``so we're expecting it to get pretty hot on the fire lines again.''
The closest homes were about a mile from the fire, but Lang said they were not considered threatened unless winds changed dramatically.
Two helicopters were assisting the 116 firefighters assigned to the blaze. Thirteen fire engines and three bulldozers also were being used, but officials said the steep terrain in the area was making it difficult getting some of the equipment to the fire lines.
