Two fires broke out along the northbound Orange (57) Freeway in Brea Wednesday morning and spread across the Los Angeles County line to the Diamond Bar area, forcing the closure of the busy roadway.
But firefighters worked successfully through the early morning darkness and had the blazes 70 percent contained as the morning rush-hour commute got under way.
Nevertheless, motorists were advised to avoid the area for most of the morning.
The first report of fire came in at 2:18 a.m. near Lambert Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The fires, burning east of the freeway, charred 15 acres together — with one blackening 10 acres and the other burning five acres about half a mile from the larger one — according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. There were no structures threatened.
As of daybreak, the fires were listed as 70 percent contained.
The CHP closed all northbound lanes and the Lambert Road on-ramp as crews battled the fire. Northbound lanes also were closed on the Los Angeles County side at Brea Canyon Road.
More than 100 firefighters were on scene, and authorities reported that the fires’ forward progress had been stopped.
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—City News Service