Bobcat Fire: Now More Than 19K Acres, Evacuation Warnings Remain In Place For Foothill Communities

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Evacuation warnings remain in place for several cities and communities in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains as firefighters continued to battle the Bobcat Fire, which broke out Sunday above the city of Azusa and quickly spread into the Angeles National Forest.

Here's what we know so far today:

THE BASICS

• Acreage: 19,796 acres
• Containment: 0%
• Resources Deployed: 652 firefighters on scene, including 35 engines, 19 hand crews, two helicopter and two planes

The brush fire erupted near the Cogswell Dam and then spread rapidly amid an intense, record-breaking heat wave, prompting evacuation orders for Mt. Wilson Observatory. The cause is under investigation.

Firefighters' goal for today was to keep the blaze west of Highway 39, east of Mt. Wilson, north of foothill communities and south of the Angeles Crest Highway, according to the incident action report. In an evening update, fire officials reported the goal to keep it from crossing the highway had fallen short:

Although conditions were poor earlier in the day for aircraft, later the smoke lifted and "two air tankers, including a DC-10, were able to make several drops of fire retardant on the southwest portion of the fire." The fire fight was bolstered late in the day by two more "hotshot crews" and another helicopter.

The Angeles National Forest is closed to the public through Monday, Sept. 14, officials said. State Route 39 is closed at Old Gabriel Canyon Road, as is State Route 2 east of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road To Islip Saddle.

This map from L.A. County shows the burn zone and where evacuation warnings have been issued.

EVACUATION WARNINGS EXPANDED

Shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, the evacuation warnings were expanded to include residents living in the following foothill cities and communities:

• Duarte
• Bradbury
• Monrovia
• Arcadia (residents can call 626-574-5463 for more information on impacted areas)
• Sierra Madre (residents can call 626-355-1414 for more information on impacted areas)
• Pasadena
• Altadena

"Residents should have evacuation plans in place, organize their emergency evacuation supplies, and have essential evacuation personal belongings easily accessible," U.S. Forest Service officials wrote on the fire incident page. "Vehicles should be fully fueled, facing out in their driveways and ready to leave. Please make those arrangements now."

Those warnings remain in effect today, and a fire official said it's up to the individual city or county governments to rescind them.

Update: At approx. 5:30 p.m., evacuation orders were lifted for Arcadia residents north of Foothill Boulevard and east of Santa Anita Boulevard.

Officials say the fire has "generally progressed away from the city of Arcadia.''

SHELTER SITES

According to L.A. County officials, a shelter area for horses has been established at the Pomona Fairplex (entrance at Gate 12).

Yesterday, the L.A. chapter of the American Red Cross opened an evacuation shelter at Santa Anita Park, which remains open today.

WEATHER CONDITIONS

A Red Flag Warning is in effect throughout much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties today, and may be extended into Thursday for some areas.

The Santa Ana wind event we've been sounding the alarm about didn't quite materialize this morning, but winds have started picking up as of Wednesday afternoon.

The winds are expected to shift north later today and fan flames away from foothill communities to the south.

Expect higher than normal temperatures through the end of the week and the weekend, but nothing like we experienced on Sunday.

Look up the latest air quality info for your area at airnow.gov.

Smoke advisories have been extended to Thursday Sept. 10.

ABOUT MT. WILSON

The Mount Wilson Observatory houses 18 telescopes, many of which were used to make some of the greatest astronomical discoveries of the last century.

They include the 100 inch Hooker telescope that Edwin Hubble used in the 1920s to prove that our universe is still expanding.

Observatory Director Tom Meneghini said he's afraid they could be seriously impacted if the fire gets close enough.

“The heat can do irreparable damage. Our two big telescopes are historically significant and irreplaceable,” Meneghini said.

However, he said fires have gotten close before and the decades-old firefighting setup at the Observatory is ready to be used again.

"We have an inground system of hoses and pumps," he said. "We have half a million gallons of water ready to pump so that’s all been prepared for any fire professional to come in and take over."

The fire also threatens a seismic station that has recorded earthquake activity for 100 years, seismologist Lucy Jones said via Twitter.

Numerous television and radio stations have transmitters in the area, including our newsroom which broadcasts on the radio at 89.3 KPCC.

A RECORD FIRE SEASON

If it feels like the fires are worse this year, it's because they are.

According to Cal Fire, more acres in the state have burned in 2020, than any other year in over the past three decades (since statewide figures have been tracked).

And we have three more months to go.

Courtesy CalFire

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HOW WE’RE REPORTING ON THIS

KPCC reporters Emily Guerin, Jacob Margolis and Sharon McNary and LAist digital producer Ryan Fonseca are contributing to this reporting.

This is a developing story. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes and/or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For the latest information straight from local emergency officials, check the following websites and social media accounts:

• Angeles National Forest Facebook
• Angeles National Forest Twitter
• Bobcat Fire incident website
• L.A. County emergency website

FIRE RESOURCES

• Every Day Is Fire Season. Here's How Angelenos Can Prepare Right Now
• How To Find Out About Fire Evacuations In Your Area
• How To Keep Yourself Safe From Wildfire Smoke
• The Air Is Brown — Should I Wear A Mask?
• This Is Why Fire Officials Don't Want You To Stay And Defend Your Home
• What Does 'Containment' Of A Fire Mean, Exactly?
• What Does A 'Red Flag Warning' Mean, Exactly?
• What To Do — And Not Do — When You Get Home After A Wildfire
• How To Avoid Getting Towed During LA's Red Flag Parking Restrictions
• If You Want To Help Fire Victims, Resist The Urge To Volunteer

YOUR QUESTIONS OR IDEAS

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