La Tuna Canyon, CA

LOS ANGELES — More than 1,000 firefighters battled wildfires burning through the Verdugo Mountains on the north edge of Los Angeles on Sunday, in the midst of a scorching heat wave. The fire destroyed three homes and forced mandatory evacuations in several neighborhoods.

As helicopters flew over the blazing hills Sunday afternoon, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles County, clearing the way for a mobilization of state resources to help fight the fire. Mayor Eric M. Garcetti of Los Angeles had declared a local state of emergency on Saturday and asked the state for help.

The blaze, which began Friday evening in La Tuna Canyon, was burning in 5,895 acres. It was 15 percent contained as of Sunday evening. Four firefighters had sustained minor injuries, and officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

The blue skies over the San Fernando Valley were filled with thick smoke from the fire. On Friday evening, when it first burst out of control, its flames could be seen from 10 miles away, shooting over the Verdugo ridge line on the north side of the valley. The fire burned in parts of the cities of Los Angeles, Burbank and Glendale.

Firefighters said they had been helped by a brief downpour of rain during the day and a drop in air temperatures, but there were still concerns about strong winds. “We have turned a corner, but this is not over,” Mr. Garcetti said. “With winds this strong, anything can happen.”

Ralph M. Terrazas, the chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, said that with the humidity rising, “we’re going to make a lot of progress,” but added, “It will take us another three or four days to get 100 percent containment.”

The fire here was one of several burning up and down California and across other parts of the West. California is deep into its dry season, with many hillsides covered by combustible brush, and many areas, including San Francisco, have experienced record high temperatures in recent days.

Firefighters said they intended to allow some of the fires in rural areas to run their course. “There’s a lot of fuel left out there to burn,” Mr. Terrazas said.

The fire in Los Angeles forced the closing of part of Interstate 210 and filled the air with smoke, prompting officials to issue an air-quality alert to people in the San Fernando Valley. About 1,000 people turned up at three evacuation centers, but 900 had left as of Sunday morning, officials said.

Mandatory evacuation orders in Glendale and Burbank were lifted late Sunday afternoon, with Los Angeles expected to follow suit.

In Oregon, crews worked over the weekend to rescue about 140 hikers who were cut off by wildfires along the Columbia River Gorge trail, The Associated Press reported. Wildfires also entered a 2,700-year-old grove of giant sequoia trees near Yosemite National Park and forced evacuations from a popular section of Glacier National Park in Montana, the agency reported.

Even as charred hillsides smoldered from a series of wildfires that tore through Los Angeles County, state and local officials were planning last week to head into burn areas to assess slopes and culverts, in an effort to prevent flash floods and mudslides that can occur after a massive blaze.

RELATED STORY: Wildfires raging in Southern California cap most destructive season in state history. Here’s why it’s so bad

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The plans may seem early given that the recent Creek fire in the San Fernando Valley, the Rye fire in the Santa Clarita valley, and the Skirball fire near Bel-Air weren’t fully contained as the planning got into motion. Not only that, but Los Angeles has had a dry rainfall season so far this year, with no heavy rain in sight. The season begins on Oct. 1, but almost every area in Southern California has seen less than 10 percent of normal rainfall, said Bill Patzert, climate scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

Last year at this time, the area saw 1.4 inches of rain. This year, that figure is down to .11 or a 10th of an inch, Patzert noted. The normal average range for this time of year is 2.02 inches.

RELATED STORY: How cold and wet will it be during Winter 2018? Let’s ask La Niña

Still, in a region of extremes, officials weren’t taking any chances.

Patzert said four seasons define Southern California: droughts, fires, floods and mudslides. Historically, after a massive wildfire, the rains come and roll down hardened, traumatized hillside soil, taking layers of ash, soot, dirt and debris with it to create fast moving mud flows.

“We’re not done with the fires, but we are ready for the mudslides,” Patzert said. “We could have a big atmospheric river event in two weeks or a month. (The hills) look horrible and dry and everything looks desiccated now. But we live with these extremes here in Southern California.”

History is a guide.

Winter storms in 2010 unleashed a downpour of rains on a 250-square mile area burned by the August, 2009 Station wildfire. As a result, thousands of residents from La Cañada Flintridge to Acton had to evacuate after one community saw their cars get crushed, walls collapse and living rooms fill with mud a month earlier. Forty-three homes were damaged, and nine were red-tagged as unlivable.

RELATED STORY: Station Fire provides opportunity to understand the science of mudslides

In addition, the rains caused 1.6 million cubic yards of sediment to flow and settle behind Devil’s Gate Dam in Pasadena.

“After the Station fire, we had a big atmospheric river event in early 2010,” Patzert said. “All the debris and ash and the gravel and silt came down because nothing was holding it together and it all rushed out to the Arroyo Seco and piled up behind Devil’s Gate.

“That’s an example of why you should start worrying about it,” Patzert added. “What we’re most afraid of is not 13 or 15 inches of rain spread over the year, but these big events. And that’s what causes these mud flows. What we saw in January 2010 was an atmospheric river. What happens is you get a tremendous amount of rain in a short period of time, so debris and everything comes roaring out of the canyon into the arroyos.”

RELATED STORY: Despite strained resources, firefighters persist in battle with Southern California fires

Work on Los Angeles County areas affected by recent wildfires will likely include repairing burned slopes and slope drains, hydroseeding which helps control erosion, installing mulch and straw blankets and cleaning and repairing culverts, said Michael Comeaux, spokesman for Caltrans District 7, which includes Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Guardrails, signs, electrical systems, fencing and other fixtures also will be repaired, while sandbags and temporary concrete barriers, known as “K-rails” also may be installed along burned slopes to minimize falling dirt and rocks onto the highways, Comeaux said.

“What we’re most afraid of is not 13 or 15 inches of rain spread over the year, but these big events. And that’s what causes these mud flows. What we saw in January 2010 was an atmospheric river. What happens is you get a tremendous amount of rain in a short period of time, so debris and everything comes roaring out of the canyon into the arroyos.”

— Bill Patzert, climate scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena

For the Skirball fire area, where nearly 500 acres in the Sepulveda Pass were burned and six homes were destroyed, Comeaux said Caltrans has already started preparing an emergency contract.

“We hope a contractor will be on the job in roughly two weeks, but that is only an estimate and is subject to change due to various factors,” he said.

He added that the work will take longer in Ventura County’s Thomas fire because of it’s massive size.

Meanwhile, staff with the Los Angeles County Public Works Department along with Los Angeles city engineers have completed maintenance at several flood and debris control facilities within the La Tuna fire burn area, said the county public works spokesman Kerjon Lee.

RELATED STORY: The La Tuna fire has been beaten. Now an LA leader is concerned about mudslides

That fire charred 7,194 acres in October within the Verdugo Mountains area near in the east San Fernando Valley, Burbank and Glendale.

“The removal of sediment and debris was necessary to maximize the storage capacity of these facilities prior to storm season and following each significant debris-producing storm,” Lee said.

County engineers have visited 576 properties downstream of the La Tuna Burn Area and provided 250 of those homeowners with written engineering advice, Lee added.

He also said the county provides online resources at lacounty.gov/larain. Homeowners who would like free engineering service can call the 24-hour dispatch line at 800-675-4357 .

“As conditions allow, engineers are prepared to go out as early as Monday to assess the county’s most recent burn areas,” Lee said.

-This story has been updated to correct the amount of rainfall so far this season.

This popular route north of Burbank, more of a hike than a walk, is a steady climb into the Verdugo Mountains, punctuated by shortcuts up steep inclines. There’s very little shade here, so climb early in the day or on a cool day, and take plenty of water. Also, bring sturdy shoes with good soles — and strong legs.

1. Begin from a parking lot on La Tuna Canyon Road, just south of its exit off the 210 Freeway. Walk up a slight incline on an old paved road, South La Tuna Canyon Road.

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2. After about a third of a mile, turn right and walk toward a sign reading “Hostetter.” This is officially Hostetter Fire Road.

3. In less than half a mile on the fire road, there’s a shortcut: a trail to the left that’s a very difficult 0.6 mile climb up a slippery, rocky slope. If you decide to take it, take it slow. Otherwise, bear right and stay on the main dirt road.

4. The climb is gentler this way, as the fire road hugs the hillside and does switchbacks along ravines filled with sycamore and oak. (“Tuna” means prickly pear cactus fruit in Spanish, but there is not actually a lot of cactus here.)

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5. After about 2½ miles, by a metal water tank, you’ll find the top of the shortcut trail. There are people who take the steep way down. This is not recommended. Instead, take in some scenery. The great San Gabriel Mountains rise before you, with Mt. Lukens straight ahead and Mt. Wilson over to the right. In the foreground are the communities of Tujunga, La Crescenta and Montrose, with Glendale and La Cañada over to the right.

MAP: Find the perfect L.A. Walk near you

6. The Hostetter Fire Road continues for some distance. If you walk about 20 minutes farther, to a T-intersection under a tall radio tower, you can see Glendale, downtown L.A. and, on a clear day, the ocean. Explore in that direction, or return to the parking area the way you came.

Fleming is the author of “Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles” and the upcoming “Secret Stairs East Bay: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Berkeley and Oakland.”

charles.fleming@latimes.com

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By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A wildfire on the northern edge of Los Angeles rapidly grew on Saturday into what the mayor called the largest blaze in the city's history, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people and the closure of a major highway. The 5,000-acre (2,023-hectare) La Tuna Fire, named after the canyon area where it erupted on Friday, has led authorities to evacuate more than 700 homes in a north Los Angeles neighborhood and in nearby Burbank and Glendale, officials said. Authorities warned of erratic winds that could force them to widen the evacuation zone, after the fire destroyed three houses in Los Angeles on Saturday. "Other than that, no loss of any property," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at a news conference. "That is a pretty amazing thing." The fire was only 10 percent contained with more than 500 firefighters battling it. The blaze in thick brush that has not burned in decades was slowly creeping down a rugged hillside on Saturday toward houses, with temperatures in the area approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), the Los Angeles Fire Department said in an alert. "This fire, which broke out yesterday, we can now say is the largest fire in the history of L.A. city, in terms of its acreage," Garcetti told reporters. On Saturday night, Garcetti declared an emergency, ordering "all available resources" deployed to protect residents and property. "This declaration also requests that the Governor declare an emergency - so that state and federal assistance can be provided to the City as quickly as possible,” Garcetti said in a statement. The fire could make air unhealthy to breathe in parts of Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest city, and nearby suburbs, the South Coast Air Quality Management District said in an advisory. Video posted online by media showed the fire burning along the 210 Freeway when it broke out on Friday, with smoke hovering over the roadway as cars passed by flames a few dozen feet away. Officials quickly closed a stretch of the freeway. More than 400 miles (644 km) to the north, the so-called Ponderosa Fire has burned 3,880 acres, or about 1,570 hectares, and destroyed 32 homes in Butte County since it broke out on Tuesday. It prompted authorities to issue evacuation orders earlier this week to residents of some 500 homes. The blaze was 51 percent contained. California Governor Jerry Brown issued an emergency declaration on Friday to free up additional resources to battle the Ponderosa blaze. Wildfires in the U.S. West have burned more than 7.1 million acres (2.9 million hectares) since the beginning of the year, about 50 percent more than during the same time period in 2016, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Helen Popper and Mary Milliken)

North America

More than a thousand firefighters battling the largest wildfire in Los Angeles' history contended with erratic winds on Sunday, but more moderate temperatures could help contain a blaze that has forced hundreds to evacuate their homes, officials said.

Source: AAP

The nearly 2400-hectare La Tuna Fire, named after the canyon area near the northern edge of Los Angeles where it erupted on Friday, has destroyed three homes and damaged one.

Authorities had evacuated more than 700 homes in a Los Angeles neighborhood and in nearby Burbank and Glendale.

The blaze in thick brush that has not burned in decades was slowly creeping down rugged hillsides toward houses and was only 10 percent contained by Sunday.

“Our priority is to put firefighters in a position to protect lives and property,” Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said at a news conference on Sunday. “There’s a lot of fuel out there left to burn.”

Source: LAFD

Temperatures in the area have hovered around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in recent days. But the mercury is expected to ease to between 90 and 94 degrees in most of the area throughout Sunday.

“That is our number one concern,” Terrazas said. “Today and the rest of the week we believe that the weather will become more favorable.”

Fire officials offered the same estimate on the size of the fire as they did on Saturday night, but will update the number later in the day.

Wind speeds in the area were moving at 3 to 5 miles per hour with gusts up to 12 mph, Terrazas said.

“That can change in a moment’s notice and the winds can accelerate very quickly,” he added.

On Saturday night, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared an emergency, ordering “all available resources” deployed to protect residents and property. He said the fire was the largest in the city’s history in terms of acreage.

More than 1,000 firefighters from Los Angeles Fire Department and surrounding cities were fighting the blaze, with additional help from state and federal agencies.

Terrazas said at least two firefighters suffered minor heat-related injuries and illnesses.

The fire could make air unhealthy to breathe in parts of Los Angeles, the nation’s second-largest city, and nearby suburbs, the South Coast Air Quality Management District said in an advisory.

Burbank: La Tune wildfire blazes through Burbank, California on September 02, 2017 as forest fires continue to spread across the state. Source: AAP

More than 400 miles (644 km) to the north, the so-called Ponderosa Fire has burned nearly 4,000 acres, or about 1,618 hectares, and destroyed 32 homes in Butte County since it broke out on Tuesday, prompting evacuation orders to residents of some 500 homes. The blaze was 56 percent contained.