Firefighters halt forward progress of 44-acre blaze in Angeles National Forest

Crews set out early in the morning Monday to battle a brush fire on the edge of the Angeles National Forest in Tujunga Canyon that ended up scorching 44 acres, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

The fire was reported to have burned about a quarter of an acre by 5:30 a.m., officials said, and grew to about 10 acres within two hours as it raced uphill through drought-parched grass and brush in the 13000 block of Little Tujunga Canyon Road.

×

A fire that broke out today in the Angeles National Forest near Tujunga burned about 50 acres of brush, but no structures were threatened.

City and county firefighters rushed to the area to battle the flames. No structures were reported threatened or damaged, said Supervisor Michael Pittman of L.A. County Fire.

U.S. Forest Service and county helicopters dropped water on the flames.

With about 200 firefighters combating the blaze, the fire was 50% contained by 1:30 p.m. and its forward progress had stopped, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Firefighters were working overnight to mop up and monitor the smoldering remains from the blaze, according to the Forest Service.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

[email protected]

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.

ALSO

UC and Cal State will consider the first tuition hikes in six years

American Apparel files for bankruptcy again and sells its brand to Gildan

If Obamacare is repealed, California has the most to lose — putting the insured on edge

UPDATES:

7:35 p.m.: This article was updated with officials downgrading the fire’s size to 44 acres.

1:30 p.m.: This article was updated to report new acreage and containment numbers.

9:35 a.m.: This article was updated to report new acreage and containment numbers.

8:25 a.m.: This article was updated with the fire’s new estimated size.

This article was originally published at 6:30 a.m.