A wildfire in Inyo County, California forced evacuations Sunday afternoon as it continued to threaten homes and power lines, according to Cal Fire.
Evacuation orders have been issued for several zones, including ICU-017-B, ICU-019, ICU-057-B, ICU-065, ICU-087-B, and ICU-087-E. Officials are urging residents in these areas to leave immediately for their safety.
The fire was first reported at 2:11 p.m. near Highway 6 and Silver Canyon Road, just north of Bishop. As of the latest update, it has burned approximately 40 acres.
Multiple agencies have responded to contain the blaze, including Cal Fire, the Riverside County Fire Department, Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit, Inyo National Forest, and the Bureau of Land Management California.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire. The situation remains active as crews work to prevent further spread.
The devastating January wildfires in Los Angeles County could cost the local economy as much as $9 billion over the next five years, according to a new study by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation. The report examines the long-term financial impact of the blazes, particularly the Palisades and Eaton Fires, which left entire communities in ruins.
Southern California saw more than a dozen wildfires in January, with the Palisades and Eaton Fires causing the most significant destruction. The fires burned over 40,000 acres, destroyed or damaged thousands of structures, and claimed at least 27 lives. Some estimates suggest these fires could become some of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, with total damages potentially exceeding $250 billion.
Property damage alone is estimated to be between $28 billion and $54 billion. However, the economic impact extends far beyond property loss. Businesses destroyed in the fires will take years to rebuild, and their prolonged closures will ripple through the local economy.
The study assessed three recovery scenarios, estimating potential economic losses from 2025 to 2029. Even in the best-case scenario, the county could lose $4.6 billion. In the slowest recovery model, losses could reach $8.9 billion, along with nearly 50,000 job-years lost—equivalent to 50,000 full-time jobs for a year. Government tax revenue could also take a hit, with up to $1.41 billion in losses over five years.
