The firefighters are struggling with a pair of fast moving wildfires which has already been spread to almost 4500 acres, in the San Gabriel Mountains, prompted mandatory evacuation of more than 685 homes, as triple digit temperature hit the region, on Monday.

The two fires started midday within an hour of each other and just a few miles above the cities of Azusa and Duarte where it was 109 degrees, early on Monday evening. The first blaze erupted around 11.15 AM along the highway 39, by the Morris Dam, when a car caught fire at the time of crossing the road. The fire quickly spread up the canyon. That fire, burning in the Angeles National Forest in steep terrain above Azusa, had charred 1,500 acres and and it remained nothing at 9 p.m.

The blaze prompted evacuation of the San Gabrial Canyon, a popular recreation destination. Azusa police issued mandatory evacuation orders for Mountain Cove and Rainbow Ranch. Voluntary evacuations were approved for Crystal Canyon and Mirador.

Soon after the Reservoir Fire broke out another blaze, the Fish fire started less than 4 miles away. It happened above homes in neighboring area Duarte, in Brookridge and Opal Canyon road. Soon after the intense flames and thick black smoke spread, a person with a hose attempted to defend a home on flaming the hillside. The police vehicle was soon showed up and the aircraft dropped water and fire retardant in the area.

Horse stables at the Encanto Equestrian Center were in flames which spread uphill away from structures. Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief John Tripp said, “It immediately started burning away from homes toward the forest. That was extremely fortunate for us because we did not have those houses in immediate peril.”

Authorities on scene were afraid of winds which may cause the two wildfires to merge into one large fire.

Also Read: Fire Danger warning in effect across South California.

By Prakriti Neogi