The Associated Press

CASTAIC, Calif. — Firefighters were battling a fast-moving wildfire that has scorched nearly 26 square miles (67 square kilometers) and threatened to jump Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles and march into the Angeles National Forest.

The fire, which started eight days ago in a remote area in the Los Padres National Forest, has burned 16,474 acres (6,590 hectares) and was 25 percent contained late Monday. It was sparked by someone burning debris in forest land, U.S. Forest Service investigators said.

The blaze scorched mostly chaparral and brushy hillsides over the last week, but rapidly spread east Monday afternoon due to hot, dry and windy weather. Authorities temporarily shut down a stretch of the highway, but reopened some lanes by early Tuesday.

Firefighters were setting backfires to keep the fire from jumping the freeway. They were able to contain several small spot fires that occurred east of the freeway.

"The fire is on the west side of I-5, and we are trying to keep it there," said Kathy Good, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman. "If the flames jump, there is a lot of open country" where it could burn.

Fire officials said hot and dry weather forecast for this week could cause additional problems for the roughly 1,500 firefighters battling the blaze, especially those working in rough terrain.

The fire has burned to the shoreline of Pyramid Lake and forced the closure of several camping and recreation areas.

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