GLENDORA, Calif. – A wildfire that broke out in the Angeles National Forest on Sunday forced the evacuation of thousands of visitors and sent a huge cloud of smoke that could be seen from throughout the Los Angeles basin.
The fire broke out near a campground around 2:30 p.m. and quickly grew to 3,600 acres, or about 5 1/2 square miles.
It forced the evacuation of campgrounds that typically attract up to 12,000 visitors on Labor Day holiday weekend, as well as rehabilitation centers and the private community of Camp Williams Resort above the city of Glendora, forest spokeswoman L’Tanga Watson said.
“We got most folks out along the recreational area,” Watson said.
The forest is heavily used by Southern Californians because of its proximity to populated areas. Fire officials said that while the campgrounds were not in the line of the fire, they had to be emptied so that the only road in and out of the San Gabriel Canyon could be open just for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.