LOS ANGELES, CA – A fire engulfed the rear of a home in West Covina on Thursday night, drawing West Covina Fire Department crews to a residential structure fire while a Red Flag Warning was in effect for much of Los Angeles County, according to initial reports.
The fire was reported at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, in the 3000 block of Cameron Avenue, near Virginia Lane.
Firefighters arrived quickly, according to initial reports. By the time crews got there, the back of the house was already fully involved in flames.
The fire happened during a Santa Ana wind event that brought dangerous fire weather to Southern California. The fire department had not released the cause of the fire, the extent of the damage or whether anyone was hurt.
Rear of the home fully involved
The blaze was described as a massive residential structure fire. It burned at the rear of a single home on Cameron Avenue, a residential street in West Covina.
West Covina Fire Department crews were the first to respond. The city runs its own fire department, which provides fire suppression, emergency medical services and ambulance transportation, according to the city’s fire department page.
The department’s services also include fire prevention, technical rescue, disaster preparedness and public education. It operates five fire stations in West Covina, and the city says its personnel include a combination of career firefighters and civilian staff.
Neighbor uses garden hose on nearby trees
While the house burned, a neighbor was seen using a garden hose to wet down trees close to the fire. The purpose was to keep the trees from igniting and possibly carrying the fire to an adjacent property.
Fire weather across the county
Los Angeles County public safety agencies had warned residents days earlier about the conditions in place on the night of the fire. In a news release published Oct. 14, the county’s Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department and Office of Emergency Management said the National Weather Service had issued a Red Flag Warning for much of the county from Thursday through Friday night.
The release warned of strong Santa Ana winds and dangerous fire weather from Thursday, Oct. 15, through Friday night, Oct. 16. It said that “very low humidity and strong winds will create conditions capable of producing rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior if a fire starts.”
Gusts of 50 to 70 miles per hour were forecast in mountain areas, with widespread gusty winds across many valleys and coastal communities, according to the release. The agencies said the Los Angeles County Fire Department implemented augmented staffing and pre-positioned additional ground and aerial resources.
What the city asks residents to do
The city of West Covina has a community fire information page that addresses recent fires in the Galster Park area. The page says those fires remain under investigation. There is no indication in the available information that they are connected to the Cameron Avenue fire.
The page asks residents to report suspicious activity, smoke or signs of fire by calling 9-1-1. It also links to wildfire preparedness guidance from CAL FIRE and Los Angeles County.
On the page, the department says it “remains prepared to respond quickly and effectively to any emergency.”
Red Flag Warning runs through Friday night
The Red Flag Warning that covered Thursday night’s fire was forecast to remain in effect through Friday night, according to the county’s release.
The West Covina Fire Department had not released the cause of the Cameron Avenue fire or information on injuries as of Friday, and no city statement about the fire had been issued.
