By JOHN ANTCZAK, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 44
minutes ago
SIERRA MADRE, Calif. - Crews overcame a
threatening flare-up during the night and worked
Monday to halt a wildfire east of
Los Angeles that has sent 1,000 people
fleeing their homes.
Water-dropping aircraft were back in the air
Monday to complement ground crews as more than
580 firefighters attacked the blaze. Calmer wind
and rising humidity were expected to help, said
U.S. Forest Service spokesman Ed Gililland.
The blaze had charred 490 acres Monday,
authorities said. Containment had fallen from 30
percent to 23 percent because the burst of wind
during the night pushed flames past some
containment lines and within yards of several
houses.
All of Sierra Madre's schools canceled Monday
classes, and at least 1,000 people had evacuated
their homes in the foothills. Authorities said
no homes had burned since the fire began
Saturday.
"This is pretty serious. Some of these areas
have not burned in over 40 years," city
spokeswoman Elisa Weaver said.
The blaze had been creeping northwest into
the
Angeles National Forest, Battalion Chief
Tim Davis of the Forest Service said Sunday.
"It's very steep, inaccessible terrain, and
it's very heavy brush," Davis said at a news
conference. "Very difficult and arduous labor
for these crews. You can't get bulldozers into
the majority of where these fingers of fire
run."
Two firefighters were treated for minor
injuries, authorities said.
The blaze stranded 50 wedding party guests at
a ranger station from Saturday until they were
airlifted out by helicopter Sunday afternoon,
Weaver said.
Investigators had not yet determined the
cause of the fire.
