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That Griffith Park Fire Prompted Evacuations But The Concert Will Go On
Smoke rises behind the Griffith Observatory Tuesday after a brush fire broke out in Griffith Park. (Photo by James Kim/LAist-KPCC)
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A brush fire in Griffith Park prompted officials to evacuate more than 2,000 people and close Griffith Observatory Tuesday afternoon, but a concert scheduled at the Greek Theater will go on.
The fire consumed about 25 acres and damaged some parked vehicles before firefighters stopped its forward progress. The fire was 80 percent contained as of 5:20 p.m., according to the L.A. Fire Department. Officials had earlier put the size at 10 acres and said the fire was contained, but they quickly issued an update after reassessing.
About 200 firefighters, including ground crews and air units, were deployed to fight what's been dubbed -- simply enough -- the Griffith Park Fire.
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The fire was reported just before 2:10 p.m. and burned in the park's southeast section, northwest of Griffith Observatory, according to L.A. Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.
No injuries were reported, though one firefighter was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening illness after being assessed for exertion, according to information on an agency Twitter account.
A few parked cars were burned, but no buildings were threatened. The fire came within about a quarter mile of the observatory, Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said at an afternoon press conference.
Police and fire officials were warning hikers, bicyclists, equestrians and drivers to avoid the area until all firefighting operations were complete. Anyone inside the park was being told to exit west of the observatory along Western Canyon Road.
Anyone separated from friends or loved ones was being told to visit the reunifification center at the Greek Theater.
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Fire officials said a concert scheduled for Tuesday night at the Greek Theater would proceed and that gates would open at 6:30 p.m.
Commuters in the area should be aware of some hard closures, including on Los Feliz Road at Vermont and on Ferndale Drive.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation.
#GriffithParkFire; 10 acres. @LAFD stopped forward progress at 3:30pm. Hose lines are around the fire. No structures threatened. No injury. A few vehicles burned. 2000+ evacuated from #GriffithObservatory to #GreekTheatre and will be bussed back to their vehicles to exit area. pic.twitter.com/rZNCrmfexe
— 🅔🅡🅘🅚 🅢🅒🅞🅣🅣 (@PIOErikScott) July 10, 2018
Brush fire in Griffith park. Please be patient if you encounter closed roads. Los Feliz at Vermont is closed due to fire. pic.twitter.com/otuMQhtgxo
— Northeast Area LAPD (@NortheastArea) July 10, 2018
#GriffithParkFire this is what our planetarium guide called “technical difficulties” as they cut the show short. Thank you to all the brave responders who are acting so quickly! pic.twitter.com/0nISttnlKY
— Peter Berno (@peterberno) July 10, 2018
#GriffithParkFire at 2:13pm pic.twitter.com/LJMWTrqaIN
— Brooke (@Brookerkc) July 10, 2018
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Massive loom-up from a brush fire that just broke out in Griffith Park in Los Angeles. @LAFDtalk #Brushfire pic.twitter.com/hHJBafktB9
— Marc Ambinder (@marcambinder) July 10, 2018
Brian Frank and Ryan Fonseca contributed to this story.
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