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Wet Weekend Helps Fight Against Massive Fire Near Big Bear Lake

BIG BEAR LAKE (CBSLA.com/AP) — A damp weekend helped firefighters stop the growth of the Lake Fire in San Bernardino County.

There had been some fears that thunderstorms Sunday would cause mudslides and other problems for firefighters, but none of them materialized, U.S. Forest Service officials said.

The wildfire in the San Bernardino National Forest has scorched 48 square miles - which comes to 30,726 acres - of desert brush and forest timber more than a week after it broke out. It was 60 percent contained Monday.

Authorities reopened Highway 38, and mandatory evacuations were lifted, but hiking trails and campsites still were closed. Four firefighters were treated for injuries.

The fire, which has cost $30 million so far to fight, destroyed a house and three outbuildings. A team of experts "will continue to evaluate the fire area for further damage," the Forest Service said in a statement.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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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