Update: Dale Fire in Fresno County progresses to 50% containment

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Updated: 5:40 p.m. May 15

First discovered: 5 hours ago, 12:04 p.m. May 15

Initial location: E WOODY ST / E RIVERDALE AVE, LATON, Fresno County, Calif.

Fire unit: Cal Fire Fresno-Kings Unit

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Dale Fire

Dale Fire initially started today at 12:04 p.m. at E WOODY ST / E RIVERDALE AVE, LATON in Fresno County, California.

After being active for five hours, it has burned 15 acres. As of Friday evening, the fire crew managed to contain 50% of this fire. However, the cause is still under investigation.

Firefighting efforts include eight engines and one water tender. According to Cal Fire, "Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow."

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 50% contained?

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 50% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 50% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 3:48 PM.