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Multiple brush fires erupt across LA County as powerful Santa Ana winds fuel red flag conditions
LOS ANGELES - Multiple brush fires erupted across Los Angeles County on Thursday as powerful Santa Ana winds and rising temperatures whipped up critical wildfire conditions across the region.
Red Flag Warning
What we know:
National Weather Service forecasters issued Red Flag Warnings through 8 p.m. Saturday, warning that damaging wind gusts—reaching up to 75 mph in mountain areas—and humidity dropping into the single digits create an extreme risk for rapid fire growth.
To lower the risk of power lines sparking new blazes, Southern California Edison initiated public safety power shutoffs for thousands of LA County residents, with tens of thousands more facing potential outages.
The critical weather conditions quickly materialized into real threats on Thursday afternoon, keeping local fire crews busy on multiple fronts:
Bryson Fire
The Bryson Fire broke out around 4:40 p.m. near Mulholland Highway and Encinal Canyon Road in Malibu. Within 30 minutes, the fire was estimated at about 20 acres and by early evening it grew to just over 100 acres, including various spot fires that erupted as winds pushed the flames forward. No structures are immediately threatened.
Evacuation warnings have been issued near the Camp Kilpatrick juvenile detention facility. Fire officials are requesting road closures as well.
Evacuation Order:
- KAN-U017
Evacuation Warnings:
- SYC-U016
- LEO-U015
- MAL-C114
- MAL-C113
- WLV-C201
- LBO-U018
- CRN-U019
- MLK-U020
- MCR-U021
- VST-U046
Malibu fire prompts evacuations
A fast moving brush fire in Malibu has triggered evacuation orders and warnings.
Peak Fire
The Peak Fire burning in the Azusa area broke out Thursday at 1:15 p.m. in the area of San Gabriel Canyon Road and Mirador Drive and Ranch Road. By late afternoon, the fire was mapped at 43 acres, with 31% containment.
Water-dropping aircrafts were dispatched to assist in protecting structures north of San Gabriel Canyon Road, in the area of Foxtail and Poppyglen courts.
At 2 p.m., evacuation orders and warnings were issued. Officers were going door to door in the Mountian Cove community evacuating residents.
By 4 p.m., the evacuation order was reduced to a warning, and all warnings were lifted.
Crews fight Peak Fire in Azusa
At least 15 acres have been burned, according to officials.
Evacuation center
An evacuation center has been created at the Memorial Park Recreation Center at 340 N. Orange Place in Azusa.
Road Closure
There is a hard closure for Highway 39 at Sierra Madre as crews work to evacuate residents.
Tujunga Fire
The Tujunga Fire was reported around 12:45 p.m. in the area of 6341 W. La Tuna Canyon Road, south of the 210 Freeway.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the fire burned about an acre of medium-to-heavy brush. Due to strong winds, the flames were spreading at a moderate rate, the department said.
No structures were threatened and no injuries were reported.
Los Angeles County Fire Department resources were also deployed.
Crews battle fire in Tujunga
LAFD and LA County firefighters are working to contain a fire that sparked Thursday afternoon south of the 210 Freeway near La Tuna Canyon Road.
Henderson Fire
The Henderson Fire broke out at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County around 2:35 p.m., prompting evacuations.
According to Cal Fire, structures to the south are threatened.
By 3:25 p.m., the fire had spread to 400 acres. By 6:30 p.m., it burned 1,117 acres, according to Cal Fire.
Pendleton Fire burns 100+ acres
A fire broke out at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, prompting evacuations.
The Source: Information for this story came from multiple agencies, including LA County Fire, Los Angeles Fire Department, Cal Fire, Los Angeles Forest Services, and the National Weather Service.