By Mallory McBride
Staff Writer
A 7,000-acre wildfire swept across parts of La Tuna Canyon in Los Angeles over Labor Day weekend, according to CNN.
The fire began on Friday, Sept. 1, as Los Angeles experienced an excruciating heat wave, according to the Los Angeles Times. This forced hundreds to evacuate the areas of Glendale and Burbank, California.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared a local state of emergency on Saturday, Sept. 2, which was followed by an additional emergency order from California Governor Jerry Brown on Sunday, Sept. 3, according to BBC.
Interstate 210, a major Los Angeles highway, was partially closed on Sept. 1 as a result of the blaze, according to CNN. The Los Angeles Times reported that the highway was reopened after three days.
“Garcetti described the fire as the biggest in the history of the city in terms of sheer acreage,” the Los Angeles Times wrote.
As of Sept. 4, there was “no active fire left,” according to CNN.
However, CNN reported that Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas warned that the winds “could easily rekindle the La Tuna fire that burned 7,000 acres.”
Four days after the blaze began, Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Erik Scott said, “We hit this hard, we hit it fast and we’ve done everything we can, and we’re proud to say out of those nearly 1,400 homes, only five have been destroyed and we’ve been able to jump from 30 percent to 70 percent containment.”
As of Sunday, Sept. 3, all mandatory and voluntary fire evacuations were lifted, according to CNN.
CNN reported that eight people suffered non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the fire, according to fire officials.
As Tropical Storm Lidia moved through Los Angeles on Sept. 3, some relief was brought to the area, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Climatologist Bill Patzert from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory ascribed “the moisture that damped down the fire” as a gift from Lidia.
Patzert said September is “the heat wave month,” so there is still a risk that other fires can start, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said that “as long as the weather continues to cooperate, [he] is very confident and convinced [Los Angeles] will be fine,” according to CNN.
