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On Wednesday afternoon, a brush fire broke out in the foothills of Burbank, forcing the residents of approximately 60-70 homes in the area to evacuate.
According to Burbank Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Derek Green the fire was spreading rapidly, which led to the mandate. With the hills ablaze, several streets were closed including Irving Drive east of Kenneth Road and Joaquin Drive at Haven Way, according to the department.
Mandatory evacuations were also issued for all homes on Viewcrest Drive and Howard Court, as voluntary evacuations were also advised for neighboring homes. However, evacuations have been lifted as of 8:45 PM on Wednesday night with roads in the surrounding area reopening around 10:30 PM.
So far the fire has burned over 10 acres but was 80 percent contained as of 8:20 PM last night, said Burbank Fire Department Chief Ron Barone. Though the fire still poses a threat, no structures have been damaged along with no reports of injuries.
Approximately 150 firefighters from neighboring cities, including The Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Pasadena Fire Department responded to the scene, according to the Burbank Fire Department.
With Southern California, in particular, experiencing an usually wet winter, the wildfire threat can potentially be very high this summer. As areas with dense vegetation, specifically foothills, begin drying up, it creates tinder for these fires that can quickly become out of hand due to strong winds. A report from The National Interagency Fire Center warns that July is a high-risk month for such incidents.
Authorities advise residents to be aware of any excess brush or dead vegetation and to stay safe. As for residents of South Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, it is advised to keep updated on air quality conditions during any brush fires which you can check here. You can also check any wildfire reports and statements from the greater Los Angeles area here.
