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David McNew / Getty Images
A DC-10 jet drops fire retardant over the Williams fire in the Angeles National Forest on Monday north of Glendora, Calif.
A wildfire in Southern California's Angeles National Forest that cut short weekend holiday plans for hikers and campers grew to 4,000 acres on Monday.
The fire, which broke out near a campground Sunday afternoon, was about 5 percent contained by Monday morning, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
The Williams fire prompted the evacuation of about 12,000 visitors who had flocked to campgrounds for the holiday weekend, The Associated Press reported. It sent a towering plume of smoke that could be seen from many parts of the Los Angeles basin.
The forest is heavily used by Southern California residents because it is close to populated areas. Fire officials said that while the campgrounds were not in the line of the fire, they had to be emptied so that the only road in and out of the San Gabriel Canyon could be open just for fire trucks and emergency vehicles.
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Officials Monday morning had set up an evacuation center at nearby Glendora High School, the Los Angeles Times reported.
About 500 personnel, aided by 6 air tankers and eight helicopters, were fighting the blaze, which was burning in steep terrain in the east fork of the San Gabriel Canyon.
No injuries were reported and no structures were threatened, forest officials said.
Evacuation orders lifted in Nebraska
Elsewhere, authorities lifted evacuation orders for some northwest Nebraska residents whose homes had been threatened by wildfires, but crews on Monday were still battling three blazes that had blackened nearly 260 square miles in Nebraska and neighboring South Dakota.
The Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team C said Sunday that smoke and flames from the so-called Douthit and West Ash fires still might be seen near the city of Chadron.
Residents of Whitney, southwest of Chadron, were allowed to return home earlier Sunday.
The Douthit fire was nearly contained and had charred about 47 square miles by Sunday night. The West Ash fire had blackened more than 91 square miles and was half contained.
Evacuation orders have been lifted as well for the so-called Wellnitz fire north of Rushville. The blaze crossed into South Dakota on Friday and broke through containment lines on Saturday.
Following a new aerial survey on Sunday, officials lowered the damage figure to about 120 square miles, down from the 150 square miles in earlier estimates.
The Wellnitz fire was about 27 percent contained, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman Jodie Fawl said Monday.
At least three minor injuries were reported, and the fires have damaged at least 10 homes and more than 50 structures in the two states.
"We've got a very challenging situation out here because of the winds and the very dry conditions," Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman said Sunday after touring the damage and meeting with officials. He said it would likely take several more days to fully contain the blazes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
The fire broke out "Sunday morning" and was five percent contained by "Sunday afternoon"? Did you editor take the day off?
Thanks to those who put themselves in harms way to fight these fires.... on the other hand, let the whole damn state burn up and then fall into the Pacific! GOOD RIDDENS! That state is not worth saving....
Save the hills, please.
this should be a no brainer that if needed to bring more people in from other states or are service men if needed to put the fires out as other possibilities....more later world..
I wish I could read an article that had been checked by an editor first. The first paragraph talks about how campers having their trip "curt" short. Could they mean cut? Come on, if its your job to report the news cabr you do it with some class? Its to the point that every article has a typo.
Having been born and raised in Southern California I can tell you exactly why Angeles is burning. 1. Too many Campgrounds have been opened in a , "Forrest", primarily made up of creosote bushes, Manzanita and other volatile types of grasses, brush, bushes and Trees. 2. This Forrest is easily accessed from the San Fernando Valley. 43 Without an Entrance fee it is huge draw to the people who have the least amount of knowledge or experience regarding safe practices in this type of Forrest. The Feds don't even try to keep track of how many people are in the Forrest at any one time. 4. With only two roads going into it, along with one of them being used as an alternative means to get to and from the Valley to Palmdale. This leads to an over saturation and a predictable outcome.
Bottom line unless they shut down access to the Forrest during Fire Season, it will always be when will Angeles burn, not if.
These FIREFIGHTERS work till they can't do it anymore, but they don't never give up!! I take it some of the comments i have read in here have never needed a fireman or firewoman to come to their aide, well when you do you will maybe have a change of heart, that is if you have a heart. I bet the people that were putting down the firefighters could not for 1 day do what all they do and then some. I have been a volunteer fire fighter for many years and it ain't a walk in the park neither!! try gitting up at 2 or 3 in the morning to go fight a house fire and then you get there and find out there are kids inside so you go into over drive and you have to search the whole house w/ the temp. inside about 1200 + degrees, could you handle it??
So here in ID we have 735,235 acres (mostly uncontained) on fire, and I should worry about a 4000 acre fire in CA? Turn it into a political debate? C@$p I'm confused.
I live in CA. I seen fire get as big as the ID fires with Winds reaching 85+ mph. Mybe you should learn skills from CA. Keep bush and such away from your house. To prevent house from Being burned. Leave when they tell you.
A good idea ID Free Thinker is to volunteer for fire department. With your help mybe they can get a handle of the fire you are complaining about in ID.
I love these comments!!
Every year they have fires out there and act like it's something new.When is california going to drop in the ocean and then they won't have to worry about fires anymore.
As a former Hot Shot stationed in the Angeles Forest hope some of you are just being funny.
Look up the Loop Fire. Since most of you haven't fought a wildfire you can simulate one at home.
Set-up your exercise machine in front of your fireplace, turn on your homes heater and open windows for ventilation, put on your cold weather clothing, close flume and start fire. Now workout for 24 hours .
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