Wildfires in Los Angeles
Two separate wildfires erupted on Monday in California’s San Gabriel Mountains above Los Angeles, near the cities of Azusa and Duarte. While several hundred people have evacuated their homes, the fires are burning mostly away from the cities and toward the mountains. As of Monday night, the flames had not destroyed any homes, though their combined size grew to more than eight miles and they spread across more than 2,000 acres. Firefighters are facing a major challenge as they combat the flames, working in very dry conditions and temperatures above 100 degrees.
According to authorities, the two fires are burning so closely together that they might soon merge into a single giant blaze. Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief John B. Tripp said it was “very fortunate” that the blaze was headed away from communities. But, he warned, “if we get down-canyon winds, it could shift and homes could be in danger again.”