Fires Continue To Burn Through Foothills, No Containment Reached

Duarte residents on Las Lomas Drive pack their belongings in preparation of evacuations Monday, June 20. Photo by Aaron Castrejon.

Another hot day is ahead as firefighters continue work on two stubborn brush fires burning above Duarte and Azusa.

The Reservoir fire which began it all Monday has grown to 2,400 acres while the subsequent Fish fire above Duarte is holding at 3,000 acres. There is no containment on either fire, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Overnight, authorities explained the biggest threat was the high possibility that the two fires would merge, according to Azusa Council member Uriel Macias who received a briefing from fire officials.

Overnight objectives for firefighters were to keep the Fish Fire west of Highway 39 to prevent it from jumping across the mountain road, keep it south of Rincon Red Box Road, east of White Cut and north of San Gabriel Canyon Road.

If the two fires merge, the incident will be renamed the San Gabriel Complex.

The Fish Fire has damaged power lines, while power poles were lost during the first day of the fire fight, Macias said.

Approximately 294 customers are without power, according to a representative from Southern California Edison.

All evacuation orders remain in effect for the Mountain Cove and Rainbow Ranch communities, Azusa Police said.

A press conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday.