Ranch Fire: 600-Acre Brush Fire In Azusa Prompts Evacuations

AZUSA, CA — A 600-acre brush fire was burning close to homes in Azusa Thursday afternoon, prompting evacuations for the Mountain Cove community.

The Ranch Fire was reported about 2:45 p.m. near North San Gabriel Canyon Road and North Ranch Road, according to the Azusa Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which called in a second-alarm response.

The fire was initially burning uphill in medium to heavy brush, and by 4:30 p.m., the fire had grown to 600 acres with no containment. Smoke could be seen Thursday night from Santa Monica and Venice.

At 3:30 p.m., mandatory evacuation orders were issued for Mountain Cove residents who live south of Highwood Court, according to the Azusa Police Department. Mountain Cove residents north of Highwood Court were asked to voluntarily evacuate.

Shortly after, mandatory evacuation orders were extended to include Mountain Cove residents who live north and west of Turning Leaf and Boulder Ridge, according to the Azusa Police Department.

Helicopters and crews on the ground worked to prevent the fire from reaching nearby homes, and shortly before 4:30 p.m., the Los Angeles County Fire Department reported the blaze was growing but "burning away from foothill cities and into the forest." Evacuation orders remained in effect.

No injuries or structural damage were reported by 6 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

State Route 39, also called San Gabriel Canyon Road, was closed in each direction in the area. Northbound lanes were closed at Sierra Madre Avenue and southbound lanes were closed at East Fork Road, according to Caltrans.

The following roads were closed for emergency vehicles only in Angeles National Forest in Glendora:

• Glendora Ridge Road, Glendora Mountain Road to Mt Baldy Road
• Glendora Mountain Road, Big Dalton to East Fork

A smoke advisory was issued for Los Angeles County residents late Thursday following the Ranch Fire.

"The Ranch Fire is producing heavy smoke this afternoon based on webcam imagery and social media posts," South Coast AQMD reported. Thursday night winds are expected to shift from the northwest, north, and northeast.

"During this time, it is possible that some smoke may be transported down from the higher elevations to areas south, southeast and southwest of the fire, such as Azusa, Pasadena, El Monte, West Covina, Pomona, Ontario, and Rancho Cucamonga," the agency reported. "Elevated ground level concentrations of PM2.5 are expected overnight as the smoke is likely to remain closer to the ground."

#RanchFire
#LACoFD pic.twitter.com/0o8KO3qMal
— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) August 13, 2020

- City News Service and Patch Editor Nicole Charky contributed to this report.

This is a developing news story. Check back with Patch for updates.

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