Burro Fire: Firefighters extinguish 5-acre brush fire in forest north of Azusa

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Burro Fire: Firefighters extinguish 5-acre brush fire in forest north of Azusa

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST >> Firefighters made quick work of a 5-acre brush fire that ignited Saturday on a rifle range at the Burro Canyon Shooting Park along East Fork Road in the Angeles National Forest, officials said. The fire, dubbed the Burro fire, was first reported just before 11 a.m. on a rifle range at the shooting range, along East Fork Road just east of San Gabriel Canyon Road, U.S. Forest Service Fire Information Officer Nathan Judy said.The fire grew to 4 to 5 acres in size by early afternoon, but was already 20 to 40 percent contained, according to U.S. Forest Service and Los Angeles County Fire Department officials. County firefighters assisted their federal counterparts.Officials announced the fire had been 100 percent contained shortly after 3 p.m. Eight fire engines, as well as firefighting aircraft, were summoned to battle the blaze, which burned through light to medium brush on moderately steep terrain, he said. California Highway Patrol officers shut down San Gabriel Canyon Road leading into the forest as Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies headed into the forest to prepare for any possible evacuations, should they become necessary, sheriff’s Lt. Elisabeth Sachs said.Officials ended up evacuating the shooting range itself, but other nearby recreation areas, such as Crystal Lake, remained open.All affected forest roads were reopened once the fire was extinguished. U.S. Forest Service officials raised the Fire Danger Level in the Angeles National Forest from “High” to “Very High” on Monday ahead of this weekend’s predicted heat wave. The cause of the fire remained under investigation. Judy pointed out that steel-core bullets are prohibited on the shooting range due to the risk of sparks igniting a wildfire. Judy said the Burro Fire burned up against the already-charred areas scorched by last year’s 1,700-acre Cabin Fire.