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Powerhouse Fire 70 Percent Contained

PALMDALE (CBS/AP) — Firefighters are conducting mop-up operations at the scene of the big wildfire that scorched 32,032 acres in the span of a week near a utility facility near Palmdale.

U.S. Forest Service spokesman Nathan Judy said Wednesday that there has been smoke but no open flames visible in the 50-square-mile burn area of the Powerhouse Fire, which was 70 percent contained as of 8 p.m.

Moist marine air has been pushing inland at night but days in the high desert region become hot and windy.

Some firefighting resources have been demobilized but most will remain until a containment line extends all the way around the burn area.

Twenty-four houses were destroyed and three were damaged in the blaze.

The cost of fighting the fire was estimated to be $14 million. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will cover 75 percent of that cost.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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