On Thursday afternoon, a brush fire broke out in Azusa, San Gabriel Valley, in the state of California. Fueled by the Santa Ana winds, the wildfire quickly spread, threatening the safety of multiple local communities. The police department has issued an immediate evacuation order and multiple evacuation alerts. As of 5:25 p.m., the fire had consumed an area of 43 acres, with zero containment, no casualties, and no structures damaged.
The wildfire, named the “Peak Fire,” started at 1:40 p.m. near the intersection of San Gabriel Canyon Road and Ranch Road, close to residential areas and just 13 miles from the area affected by the devastating Eaton Canyon Fire in January of last year.
The Azusa Police Department has issued several urgent warnings. The emergency evacuation alert at 1:40 p.m. required immediate evacuation of AZU-MC01 in the San Gabriel Canyon Road area, urging residents not to delay and to follow the instructions of emergency personnel.
At 2 p.m., the police issued Level 2 evacuation warnings for multiple areas, advising residents residing or near these areas to prepare for evacuation. Residents were instructed to gather essential items, medication, important documents, and pets, and be ready to evacuate as the situation evolves. The areas included AZU-ABC01, AZU-CYN01-A, AZU-NOB01, AZU-QRY01, LAC-E168-A, LAC-E168-B, LAC-E170-A, and LAC-E170-B.
Firefighters used multiple helicopters to combat the blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Authorities set up an evacuation shelter at the Memorial Peak North Recreational Center.
There are reservoirs on both sides of the wildfire location. The northbound section of Sierra Madre on San Gabriel Canyon Road has been closed.
The area is experiencing strong Santa Ana winds and high temperatures. With gusts reaching 13 miles per hour and sudden wind gusts of up to 26 miles per hour, the day’s temperature rose above 90 degrees Fahrenheit after a few days of cooler weather, remaining hot until 4:30 p.m.
To mitigate the risk of wildfires, Los Angeles County and Ventura County have issued red flag warnings lasting until 8 p.m.
In an effort to prevent wildfire hazards, around 48,000 users in Southern California are currently affected by power outages.