Sunset Fire Evacuation Orders Lifted As Hollywood Hills Blaze Burns 43 Acres

HOLLYWOOD, CA — The fast-moving blaze that broke out near Runyon Canyon Thursday night held steady at 42.8 acres as authorities stopped forward progress of the fire and lifted the evacuation orders that extended from the Hollywood Hills into the urban parts of Hollywood.

The fire, dubbed the Sunset Fire, broke out around 5:30 p.m. near Solar and Astral drives. The blaze spread fast uphill and threatened homes. Within three hours multiple reports said it had grown to 60 acres. But Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said Thursday morning at a news conference the fire actually burned only 42.8 acres and forward progress has been stopped.

On Thursday, "the crews are working to put out spot fires within the perimeter and to keep the wind from spreading any additional embers," she said. "This fire was rapidly and aggressively attacked by using coordinated air and ground fire suppression efforts. Residents heeded our timely evacuation orders."

The evacuation order was for Laurel Canyon Boulevard (on the west) to Mulholland Drive (on the north) to 101 Freeway (on the east) down to Hollywood Boulevard (on the south), according to Cal Fire.

Overnight, the majority of the evacuation order was lifted, with the exception of the area north of Franklin Avenue from Camino Palmero Street (on the east) to North Sierra Bonita Avenue (on the west), according to the LAFD.

By 7:30 a.m., all evacuation orders were lifted, according to Mayor Karen Bass.

The evacuations out of tight mountain roads like Laurel Canyon Boulevard led to major gridlock. Meantime, KCAL reported that several looters were arrested by police as Mayor Karen Bass announced the Los Angeles Police Department would ramp up presence in the area to assist with evacuations.

Multiple water-dropping aircraft were being used in hopes of slowing the fire's advance. Crews were able to collect water from the Hollywood reservoir, making quick turnarounds and water drops. The work appeared to be effective in slowing down the progress of the fire Wednesday night.

"I'm grateful for the swift work and the aerial assault that took place in order to protect our Hollywood Hills quickly," Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said Thursday morning.

Horvath, who lives in West Hollywood, was among those who were subject to an evacuation warning.

"I personally received an alert from Nixle that I too was under Evacuation warning, and I was put in the shoes of tens of thousands of Angelenos who have been facing this from the moment the fires broke out," she said.

Read the latest on the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst and Lidia fires burning in Los Angeles County.