Aspen Fire Update: Fire Grows to 14,147 acres, Only 25 Percent Contained

The Aspen fire burning in the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County grew another thousand acres by Monday, July 29.

The fire, which is burning on the west side of the Sierra crest about 40 miles west of Bishop and slightly south of Mammoth, is at 14,147 acres and 25 percent contained, according to the Mammoth Times.

The fire is expected to continue to pour heavy smoke into Mammoth as prevailing winds are predicted to blow from the west and south, bringing the smoke over Mammoth Pass and into Mammoth and the Eastern Sierra, according to the National Weather Service,

There are currently around 1,600 firefighters assigned to fight the fire which is burning in steep, heavy timber about seven miles north of the community of Big Creek on the west side of the Sierra crest, reports ABC News. Fire resources from all over the state are being used to keep the fire from spreading costing millions of dollars to contain.

The fire was started last week after by lighting and has already burned 11,000 acres near Huntington Lake.

To contain the blaze, 1,479 fire crews throughout the state are attacking the wildfire both from the ground and from the air at a cost of $5.7 million.

"We have the air tankers, the helicopters; they're supporting the crew down below. They are laying retardant drops across the line to slow down the progress of the fire," said Robert Carvalho with CalFire.

Although the fire has not threatened any homes or people in the area, it is having a negative impact on the air quality in the foothills and mountain areas.