Wildfires

Smoke Advisory Extended as Bobcat Fire Continues to Burn in Angeles National Forest

The fire is not expected to be contained until mid-October

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A smoke advisory is in effect Saturday in most of Los Angeles County and parts of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties due to the Bobcat Fire burning in the Angeles National Forest that has blackened 29,245 acres and remains only 6% contained.

Swipe right on the map below to see the air quality in your area.

Swipe right on the map above to see the air quality in your area.

“Fire crews will continue to focus on increasing containment lines along the south end of the fire to protect the foothill communities,'' officials said Saturday morning. “Local fire departments will continue to conduct structure protection within the foothill communities. Crews will also be working on the north end to keep the fire south of Highway 2 and west of Highway 39.”

On Saturday, the city of Monrovia tweeted, "The fire reached the Trask Boy Scout Camp and Canyon Park, burning areas including Monrovia Falls. Trask is still there and firefighters are working to keep the fire north of the Nature Center."

The Bobcat Fire, which erupted midday Sunday near the Cogswell Dam and West Fork Day Use area, prompted evacuation warnings in seven San Gabriel Valley foothill communities and was not expected to be fully contained until Oct. 15.

Firefighters worked into the overnight hours to hold the fire just above West Fork on Highway 39 while strengthening containment lines and slowing progress of the fire from moving farther south toward foothill communities, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

“The eastern portion of the fire was burning downhill and entering into a burn scar from the Ranch2 Fire, creating less intense fire behavior for firefighters. Much of the western side of the fire was entering an old burn scar as well, which reduces the rate of spread,” firefighting officials said.

The Ranch 2 Fire broke out Aug. 13 near Azusa and has burned 4,237 acres. It was at 93% containment this weekend.

“The recent Ranch 2 Fire, Fish Fire and the 2009 Station Fire are helping to slow fire progression, however the Bobcat Fire continues to burn north and east where there is no fire history in the last 80 years and in the San Gabriel Wilderness,” the Forest Service said.

The most activity was in the north and south ends of the fire, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Through Saturday, smoke and ash are expected in portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties, and unhealthy or higher Air Quality Index levels due to particulate matter concentrations are possible in areas of direct smoke impacts through Saturday, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Evacuation warnings remain in effect in the foothill communities of Duarte, Bradbury, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Pasadena, Altadena and Arcadia.

The Angeles Crest Highway 2 was closed from Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road to Big Pines and Highway 39 was closed at Old San Gabriel Canyon Road to the Angeles Crest Highway 2.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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