A wildfire in the Angeles National Forest that broke out Sunday afternoon north of Glendora quickly grew to 800 acres, authorities said, forcing forest visitors and some nearby residents to flee.
A mandatory evacuation order was issued around 7:15 p.m. for Camp Williams Resort, which includes a mobile home park and camping facilities, as well as the adjacent river community, according to Dana Dierkes, public affairs officer for the Angeles National Forest.
Forest officials said firefighters were conducting an “aggressive attack with air and ground resources.” As crews worked, temperatures reached 105 degrees in nearby Glendora.
Dierkes told The Times that it was “probably a very busy day” in the forest “given the high temperatures. Visitors come to seek relief from the heat in the waters of the San Gabriel River.” Cars parked along forest roads can block firefighters as they try to reach the scene of a wildfire, Dierkes noted.
The cause of the fire, which was 0% contained as of Sunday night, was under investigation.
Several roads were closed, including State Route 39, East Fork Road, Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road.
The fire started at approximately 2:40 p.m. Sunday on East Fork Road in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
As of 8 p.m., fire crews from the Angeles National Forest and the Los Angeles County Fire Department were battling the blaze. Aircraft were dropping water and fire retardant on the fire, Dierkes said.
“Some night reconnaissance flights will be conducted overnight” to help crews get a better idea of the size of the growing fire, he said.
Meanwhile, the fight against the Line Fire continued in San Bernardino County. The wildfire had prompted mandatory evacuations in several mountain communities and threatened more than 35,000 structures.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday over the rapidly spreading wildfire.
