Hundreds of weary residents were moving back into their fire-threatened homes Wednesday afternoon while more than 1,400 firefighters continued their battle against two brush fires that scorched about 4,900 acres in the Angeles National Forest and foothills above Duarte and Azusa.
Residents of 534 evacuated homes in Duarte were being allowed to return home. The homes are north of Royal Oaks Drive, east of Greenbank Avenue and west of Encanto Parkway. That’s the majority of the 858 homes evacuated during the height of the massive blaze.
Small animals such as dogs and cats will be allowed back in with residents, but livestock will not be allowed back into the areas at this time, nor will large private vehicles because roadways need to remain accessible to large fire trucks.
“Please remember that security will be a priority,” a sheriff’s official said, adding that residents will need to show identification.
A community meeting is planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Northview Intermediate School, 1401 Highland Ave. in Duarte for residents of Duarte and Azusa.
The 858 homes were evacuated in Duarte and Azusa, including 326 homes in Azusa. Evacuations remain in effect in an area north of Royal Oaks Drive, West of Tocino Drive, and East of Mount Olive Road as the blaze remained only 10 percent contained.
Officials said an area of concern is in the city of Bradbury, on a hillside in a residential area. Patrolling deputies will be on a “fire watch” in the area, to assist firefighters in spotting flames in case the wind shifts toward the homes.
Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp advised residents of Bradbury and Monrovia on Tuesday to pay attention to news coverage of the fire and have their evacuation plans ready in case they are ordered out of their homes, as the west side of the fire was the main area of concern.
The Fish and Reservoir fires — which have not merged, but are collectively now called the San Gabriel Complex Fire — were 10 percent contained.
Figures released this morning indicate that the Fish Fire has scorched about 1,200 acres and the Reservoir Fire has scorched about 3,700 acres. Officials said 1,404 firefighting personnel from both the county and U.S. Forest Service have been deployed to battle the flames.
The Reservoir Fire broke out shortly after 11 a.m. Monday off Highway 39 near the Morris Reservoir dam north of Azusa, according to Sherry Rollman of the USFS. It grew to 1,500 acres by 10 p.m. Monday and 2,400 acres by daybreak Tuesday, forest authorities said.
The fire was sparked by a vehicle running off the highway, as officials received a report at 10:57 a.m. Monday of a fatal car crash along Highway 39 near the reservoir where the fire broke out, California Highway Patrol Officer Alex Rubio said.
About 90 minutes after the Reservoir Fire began, a second blaze was reported near Opal Canyon and Brookridge roads near the Duarte/Azusa border, about four miles southwest of the Reservoir Fire. That blaze, dubbed the Fish Fire, quickly roared into the foothills, burning north away from homes but threatening some remote horse stables.
One firefighter was taken to the hospital around 6 p.m. Monday with “minor injuries” related to heat exhaustion, and a sheriff’s deputy suffered similar injuries earlier that day, fire authorities said.
No other injuries were reported.
The Red Cross established an evacuation center at the Duarte Community Center, located at 1600 Huntington Drive.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory because of the blazes, urging residents in smoke-affected areas to avoid strenuous outdoor activity. Those with respiratory or heart disease, older adults and children were advised to remain indoors.
— Staff and wire reports