The "Fork Fire" continued its rapid burn through the Angeles National Forest above Glendora this weekend, causing evacuations and road closures. According to KTLA, the wildfire had consumed over 375 acres by Friday night, and as of Saturday morning, the burn area was sized at 330 acres with zero containment despite the efforts of firefighter crews.
Amidst the chaos, a distressing update emerged indicating that at least two children suffered injuries from smoke inhalation, which was reported by CBS Los Angeles. Families were faced with the anxiety of being separated from their loved ones due to road closures, including East Fork Road and Highway 39, which will remain closed through the weekend. "I came down here for a charge and I left my 16-year-old up there," one father told CBS Los Angeles. "He thinks I'm going to be back up there in about an hour and a half. I'm worried he's at the camp by himself, waiting for me."
Officials from the Angeles National Forest shared on X, formerly Twitter, that firefighters will continue to battle the blaze with aerial support. Evacuations have been ordered in the vicinity with a designated staging area provided in a parking lot with trail access to the Bridge to Nowhere. Additionally, a rescue by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopter was documented within the fire perimeter, though details on the operation have yet to be disclosed.
Visibility of the fire's impact, including a significant smoke plume, was confirmed by an ALERTCalifornia fire-spotting camera on Pine Mountain. The South Coast Air Quality Management District responded by issuing an air quality advisory as the smoke billowed from the canyon, as detailed by NBC Los Angeles. The cooperative efforts between the National Forest Service and local fire protection agencies, including CalFire, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and Ventura County Fire Department, are ongoing while the investigation into the fire’s origin continues.
