A brush fire dubbed the "Zebra" lit up Azusa Canyon on Monday evening, chewing through roughly 10 acres near North San Gabriel Canyon Road and North Mountain Laurel Way and sending a plume of smoke over parts of the San Gabriel Valley. Crews from Los Angeles County Fire and the Angeles National Forest moved in under a unified command to keep the flames from marching toward nearby neighborhoods.
According to the L.A. County Fire Department, firefighters were first dispatched at about 7:03 p.m. to a blaze burning in medium brush. The agency estimated the fire at about 10 acres and confirmed the unified response with federal crews in the canyon.
Authorities urged drivers to steer clear of State Route 39 near Mountain Cove while engines, hand crews and support trucks staged along the roadway, and warned that smoke could drift into foothill communities, as reported by Telemundo 52.
Crews Focus On Containment In Steep Terrain
Early radio chatter and wildfire-tracking updates put the Zebra fire at about 10 acres in medium brush with a moderate rate of spread. As the evening went on, reports indicated that firefighters slowed the head of the blaze as it hit ridge lines. Bulldozer work was scaled back in spots where the slopes were too steep to safely operate, according to Wildfire Intel, with hand crews and aircraft prioritized where they could work more safely in the canyon.
Roads, Air Quality And What Locals Should Know
At the time of initial reports there were no confirmed injuries or damaged structures, and officials stressed that the public should stay out of the canyon area so engines and support vehicles could move freely, as reported by Telemundo 52. Residents with respiratory conditions were advised to keep windows shut and follow air-quality and weather updates from the National Weather Service.
The Zebra fire is the latest in a string of brush fires to flare up across Los Angeles County during a hot, dry stretch that has kept engines and strike teams busy this month. Similar canyon fires have triggered rapid, multi-agency responses in recent days, according to NBC Los Angeles. Officials on scene said more details would be released once containment numbers and resource needs are confirmed, and road and access updates are expected to follow in official briefings.
