LOS ANGELES, CA – A wind-driven brush fire called the Peak Fire burned in the foothills above Azusa on Thursday afternoon, threatening homes and prompting a mandatory evacuation order before firefighters stopped its forward progress, according to fire officials.
The fire was first reported at about 1:09 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, north of San Gabriel Canyon Road. CAL FIRE’s incident page lists the start at 1:43 p.m. near San Gabriel Canyon Road and Mirador Drive in Azusa.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service’s Angeles National Forest fought the fire under Unified Command. The fire was about 20 acres at 2 p.m. and had been mapped at about 43 acres and 41% containment when CAL FIRE posted its last update at 7:44 p.m.
The cause is under investigation.
Fire burns during Red Flag Warning
The fire broke out on the first day of a Red Flag Warning for much of Los Angeles County. In a statement issued Oct. 14, Los Angeles County said the National Weather Service had issued the warning from Thursday through Friday night, with gusts of 50 to 70 mph forecast in mountain areas.
The Peak Fire burned during that Santa Ana wind event, which had been forecast the day before. An early update on the CAL FIRE incident page put the fire at 15 acres with a moderate rate of spread.
Second alarm and helicopters called in
Los Angeles County Fire reported the fire and called a second alarm at 1:34 p.m., according to the department’s updates. Firefighters on the ground were supported by water-dropping helicopters.
The aircraft worked to protect structures north of San Gabriel Canyon Road, according to initial reports. County Fire helicopters drew water from a nearby reservoir.
Evacuation order issued for zone AZU-MC01
An evacuation order was issued for zone AZU-MC01, and evacuation warnings were put in place for several other zones. Door-to-door evacuations took place in the Mountain Cove community, according to initial reports.
Northbound traffic on San Gabriel Canyon Road was closed at Sierra Madre during the evacuations, according to the CAL FIRE incident page.
An evacuation shelter opened at the Memorial Park North Recreational Center in Azusa for residents who had to leave their homes.
Evacuation order dropped, warnings updated
By about 3:38 p.m., firefighters had stopped the fire’s forward progress. The evacuation order was then dropped.
The Azusa Police Department kept an evacuation warning in place for zone AZU-MC01 as of about 4 p.m., after the order was lifted. The CAL FIRE page lists updated warnings for zones AZU-MC01, AZU-ABC01, AZU-CYN01-A, AZU-NOB01, AZU-QRY01, LAC-E168-A and LAC-E170-A.
Containment reaches 41%
Crews continued working the perimeter through the evening. The 43-acre figure and the 41% containment figure on the incident page were current as of the 7:44 p.m. update.
No structures were destroyed and no injuries were reported, according to initial reports.
Resources were pre-positioned before the fire
The day before the fire, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services would position additional firefighters, aircraft and equipment in Orange, Ventura, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties ahead of the Santa Ana winds. The governor’s announcement said the resources would deploy Thursday morning, Oct. 15, and remain in place through Sunday, Oct. 18.
The announcement covered the region and did not refer to the Peak Fire specifically.
County urged residents to prepare
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone urged residents to review the Ready! Set! Go! program and identify their evacuation zone, according to the county’s Oct. 14 statement. The statement said the County Emergency Operations Center and Joint Information Center began operations Thursday morning.
The county’s message to residents was direct: “If you feel unsafe or see a fire threatening your area, do not wait for an official alert to leave.” Sheriff Robert Luna and Emergency Management Director Kevin McGowan were also quoted in the statement.
Cause remains under investigation
The Peak Fire’s cause had not been determined as of the last update. The Red Flag Warning was forecast to remain in effect through Friday night, according to the county.
