Paulina Lake Fire on June 5, 2020.

Fire crews have completely surrounded a wildfire burning north of La Pine, the largest of several fires that burned over the Fourth of July weekend.

The Paulina Lake Fire, which started around midday on Sunday, has burned 48 acres of forest, according to Kassidy Kern, public information officer for the Central Oregon Fire Management Service. Around 10% of the fire is determined to be contained and officials expected that number to increase Monday as fire crews cool hotspots around the perimeter of the fire.

Containment means establishing a control line either by manmade or natural barriers around the fire. Fire officials must also have a high level of confidence that the fire won’t escape those control lines for an area to be declared contained.

The fire is located near U.S. Highway 97 and north of Forest Road 21 on Bureau of Land Management, Prineville District managed lands. Several planes have been used against the blaze, including a heavy air tanker, a Type II tanker, and a single-engine air tanker.

“This fire was knocked down pretty quickly,” Kern said Monday. “We had terrific air support yesterday, which helped the firefighters on the ground get around it.”

Central Oregon fire crews responded to 17 wildfires over the weekend on various jurisdictions, many caused by escaped campfires, said Alex Robertson, fire and aviation staff officer for Central Oregon Fire Management Service. He warns the public to take care of fires, especially as warm temperatures dry out forests.

“We have had a number of escaped campfires. It was a very busy weekend for us,” said Robertson. “We have a lot of people in the woods out camping, and we are seeing a lot more carelessness with fire. We are under public use restrictions, and campfires outside of designated campground are not allowed.”