Brush Fire Spreads into Glendale, Los Angeles, Forcing Evacuations
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A brush fire that erupted in Eagle Rock on Sunday afternoon has spread into Glendale, clogging freeways, threatening homes and sending up a large plume of smoke that could be seen across the Los Angeles Basin.
Evacuations have been ordered along East Glenoaks Boulevard from Mount Carmel Drive to Bywood Drive in Glendale, according to authorities. Officials urged people to avoid the area.
The fire was first reported around 4 p.m. and is thought to have started in the 2900 block of West Colorado Boulevard, near the interchange of the 2 and 134 freeways, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“The fire has spotted to the north side of 134 Freeway and is slowly backing towards homes,” the department tweeted at 4:45 p.m. Traffic jams were reported on surface streets throughout the area, including Colorado Boulevard, as portions of both nearby freeways were closed, The Los Angeles Times reported.
The 134 Freeway was shut down from Figueroa Street to Glendale Boulevard, and the 2 Freeway was closed from Fountain Avenue to the 5, according to the California Highway Patrol.
There have been no reports of injuries, the Fire Department said.
The biggest concern was for the Glenoaks Canyon area of Glendale, where firefighters were focusing most of their defenses.
Fire officials were pounding the blaze with helicopter water drops, hoping to stop the fire before it heads into neighborhoods.
The fire was being fueled by hot temperatures, but there were no Santa Ana wind conditions.
