Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman announces retirement

Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman announced Tuesday that he will be retiring in March after nearly 21 years heading the department.

In making his announcement, Freeman said he plans to spend more time with his family and pursue personal projects.

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve the people of Los Angeles County, alongside the most unselfish, caring, and courageous men and women of the department,” he said in a statement. “There were many challenges, but meeting them brought a great deal of satisfaction.”

As head of the county Fire Department, Freeman oversees an agency long considered among the leaders in firefighting tactics and strategy. In addition to traditional structure and water-rescue units, the department has a large Air and Wildland Division that includes camp crews, bulldozer units and water-dropping helicopters.
 
Freeman is the second-longest serving chief since Spence Turner, who commanded the department for 27 years from 1925 to 1952.

Hot, windy Thanksgiving Day in the forecast for L.A., along with fire danger

You won't need a crackling fire or a sweater this Thanksgiving.

The National Weather Service is predicting an unseasonably warm Thanksgiving Day, with temperatures ranging from the mid-70s along the coast to the mid-80s in the L.A. Basin. Some inland valleys could reach the low 90s.

Temperatures are expected to warm gradually this week, with Thanksgiving the hottest day. Temperatures should then cool slightly for the weekend.

The weather service also warns that Santa Ana winds should be a factor through Sunday, with some of the strongest gusts expected on Thanksgiving morning.

"Santa Ana winds will continue to plague" the Ventura and Los Angeles county areas with gusty winds and low relative humidity, the NWS said in a statement.

With the winds come concerns about brush-fire danger, officials said.

-- Shelby Grad

Brush fire in La Habra Heights knocked down

Los Angeles County firefighters have knocked down a brush fire in La Habra Heights that initially threatened several homes.

The fire, which burned about 5 acres, was reported at 1:20 p.m. in the 2500 block of N. Hacienda Boulevard, said Inspector Matt Levesque of the L.A. County Fire Department.

About 100 firefighters, three helicopters, a Skycrane and two SuperScoopers were summoned. The fire was quickly brought under control and was knocked down about 2:20 p.m., Levesque said.

Initially, a structure protection team was called in because the fire threatened several homes and a construction area. No buildings were damaged, and no injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Levesque said.

-Baxter Holmes

Detectives still far from arrest in Station fire arson

Nearly three months after the Station wildfire turned into the biggest blaze in L.A. County history, killing two firefighters, investigators say they don’t have the necessary evidence to arrest anyone for the arson.

Sheriff’s homicide detectives have questioned a man charged with setting a smaller blaze less than a week before in Angeles National Forest. But authorities say they have not been able to connect Babatunsin Olukunle, a 25-year-old Nigerian national, to the 160,577-acre Station fire that began Aug. 26 in a turnout near Mile Marker 29 above La Cañada Flintridge, authorities say.

“He has told us nothing of relevance in connection with the Station fire,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Liam Gallagher, who is leading the homicide probe. “We’ve talked to him and we’d like to talk to him again.”

Nationally, only about 10% of arson fires yield charges .The task is made all the more difficult in arson wildfires because unlike structural fires there is no confined space. 

Crews have nearly contained San Juan Capistrano wildfire

Fire crews had nearly completely encircled a wildfire burning east of San Juan Capistrano this afternoon as temperatures began to cool slightly across Southern California.

The blaze is 95% contained, with full containment expected Wednesday, fire officials said.

The fire had burned 145 acres of heavy brush in rugged terrain about five miles east of the 5 Freeway, authorities said. Fire officials earlier said the blaze had consumed 245 acres but downsized the acreage today after mapping the perimeter from the air.

Crews were able to take advantage of cool ocean winds and temperatures in the upper 60s, which helped slow the fire's spread, according to fire officials. Relative humidity was expected to reach 45% to 50% tonight, authorities said.

"That's going to help us even more," said Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion of the Orange County Fire Authority. "It will moisten things down."

He said all the major flames had been extinguished by this afternoon and that crews were dousing "creeping smokes," or smoldering embers inside the fire perimeter.

About 195 firefighters, aided by a water-dropping helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft, were fighting the fire this afternoon. At the height of the blaze Monday afternoon, about 300 firefighters and several aircraft had been assigned to the battle.

The cost of fighting the fire had reached $385,000, Concepcion said.

Four firefighters were injured in the effort. One hurt his shoulder, another his knee, one his eye, and one suffered heat exhaustion.

Temperatures across Southern California were expected to dip slightly tomorrow before the onset of dry northerly winds Thursday and warmer weather, according to the National Weather Service.

A low pressure system was forecast to descend on the region Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to reach 70 degrees in downtown Los Angeles and the low 60s in mountain communities, the Weather Service said.

By Thursday, north winds will help warm up the area. Downtown L.A. will reach about 77 degrees, and foothill areas including Pasadena will hit about 79 degrees, the Weather Service said.

Temperatures will cool down again Friday and Saturday, with a 20% chance of rain, before warming back up Sunday and Monday, according to the Weather Service.

"It's just going to be this flip-flopping thing,"  Bonnie Bartling, a weather specialist with the Weather Service's Oxnard office, said of the changing temperatures.

--Robert J. Lopez

Photo: Orange County and California Department of Forestry fire investigators view the wildfire's point of origin where they believe a tractor operator knocked down a power pole, possibly arcing two electrical wires.  The fire is currently considered accidental. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Cooler weather expected to aid firefighters battling blaze near San Juan Capistrano

Cooler weather is expected to help firefighters gain control of a wildfire east of Sam Juan Capistrano that burned at least 250 acres.

Firefighters will set backfires this morning and try to mop up the fire off Ortega Highway, which is 75% contained. It's not clear when full containment will occur.

On Monday, about 300 firefighters, aided by four bulldozers, cut fire breaks around the perimeter of the blaze, which has been confined to a bowl-shaped valley area in rugged terrain about five miles east of the 5 Freeway, fire officials said. No structures were threatened.

"We expect it stay fully contained in that bowl," said Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion of the Orange County Fire Authority.

Ground crews were aided by several water-dropping helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft that made repeated drops as the blaze burned through heavy brush.

The fire appears to have been sparked by a power line that was knocked down by a tractor as it drove on private property, authorities said.

Fire units responded to the blaze after a call at 11:28 a.m.

-- Robert J. Lopez

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Full containment expected tomorrow on San Juan Capistrano wildfire [Updated]

A wildfire burning east of San Juan Capistrano had grown to 250 acres this evening, but fire crews were taking advantage of cooler weather and expected full containment Tuesday morning, authorities said.

[Updated 10:04 p.m.: The blaze is 75% contained, fire officials said.]

About 300 firefighters, aided by four bulldozers, are cutting fire breaks around the perimeter of the blaze, which has been confined to a bowl-shaped valley area in rugged terrain about five miles east of the 5 Freeway, fire officials said. No structures were threatened.

"We expect it stay fully contained in that bowl," said Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion of the Orange County Fire Authority.

Cool ocean breezes are expected to help by dropping temperatures tonight and increasing the relative humidity to about 30%, which would slow the fire's spread, Concepcion said.

"It's getting really cold," he said.

Earlier in the day, ground crews were aided by several water-dropping helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft that made repeated drops as the blaze burned through heavy brush.

The fire appears to have been sparked by a power line that was knocked down by a tractor as it drove on private property, authorities said.

Fire units responded to the blaze after a call at 11:28 a.m.

-- Robert J. Lopez

Photo: A Forestry Department helicopter lifts off amid a cloud of dust and weeds. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

San Juan Capistrano fire burns 20 acres; 2 firefighters hurt

A brush fire has burned 20 acres east of San Juan Capistrano and resulted in two minor injuries to Orange County firefighters.

Authorities have sent water-dropping helicopters and fire engines to the 32502 block of Ortega Highway, where the fire was burning in Verdugo Canyon.

It did not appear that any homes were immediately threatened, and no evacuations have been ordered.

A call came into authorities at 11:28 a.m. of a tractor crashing into a power pole, sparking the blaze. The fire is burning toward the east on the south side of the highway. 

As of 2:45 p.m., the fire was 10% contained.

-- Baxter Holmes

Photo: Hand crews monitor hot spots as a helicopter flies behind the ridge for another drop on a brush fire off Ortega Highway, east of San Juan Capistrano. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

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New brush fire burning near San Juan Capistrano [Updated]

 
The Orange County Fire Authority is battling a brush fire along Ortega Highway near San Juan Capistrano.

Authorities have sent water-dropping helicopters and fire engines to the 32502 block of Ortega Highway, where the fire was burning up some canyons.

It did not appear that any homes were immediately threatened, and no evacuations have been ordered.

[Updated at 1 p.m.: A call came into authorities at 11:28 a.m. of a tractor crashing into a power pole, sparking the blaze. The fire is burning toward the east on the south side of the highway. Traffic on the road has not be affected.]

-- Baxter Holmes

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L.A. firefighters battling blaze in Sepulveda Pass [Updated]

The Los Angeles Fire Department was battling a small brush fire in the Sepulveda Pass this morning.

The fire was reported after 10:30 a.m. near the 405 Freeway and Skirball Center Drive.

According to the LAFD, the fire was about half an acre in size but growing. The fire was not threatening homes, and the 405 Freeway remains open.

Several recent fires have occurred in the pass over the last few months.

[Updated at 11 a.m.: The fire is under control, according to the LAFD.]

-- Shelby Grad

Firefighters present family with tribute badge destroyed in a wildfire

The granddaughters of a firefighter killed in the line of duty more than 70 years ago were presented with a tribute badge today to replace the original that was salvaged from the ruins of the devastating 2008 Sayre Fire in Sylmar.

Firefighter George Damron died while responding to a call in Boyle Heights in 1935. His badge was a cherished keepsake to his granddaughters, Pamela and Cheryl Dibble. But when their home at the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar burned down, the silver badge was lost. The fire destroyed nearly all of the community's 600 homes, leaving behind a wasteland and rubble and ash.

Later, when the granddaughters were sifting through the remains of their home, they found the melted and scorched badge and showed it to firefighters. On the one-year anniversary of the fire, Los Angeles City Fire Department officials decided to present the family with a new badge.

The scorched one was donated to the Los Angeles Fire Department's Hollywood Museum.

"We honor our badge because we know how hard we work to get it and how hard we work to keep it," said Capt. Steve Ruda. "And the fact that these were the grandchildren of a firefighter meant they are part of our family. We have an obligation to take care of them."

-- Esmeralda Bermudez

Photo: L.A. City firefighters attempt to save a fully-engulfed mobile home at the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar in November 2008. Credit: Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times

Fire weather forecast for Los Angeles and Ventura counties

The National Weather Service has issued an urgent fire weather watch for the end of this weekend, saying that low humidity and wind gusts of up to 45 mph will pose a risk of wildfires from 9 a.m. Sunday until 6 a.m. Monday.

The alert covers portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

On Sunday, gusty northeast winds are possible through the areas of Soledad Canyon, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley and Malibu. Winds of 25 to 35 mph are possible in these and surrounding areas, and could even reach speeds as high as 45 mph. The strongest winds and the driest conditions may not occur until Monday, according to the weather service.


-- Monte Morin

Hillside residents fear threat of more mudslides

Gary and Diane Stibal spent $35,000 on measures to protect their La Cañada Flintridge home from mudslides. That included installing a chain-link fence, erecting walls of sandbags and building a large concrete gutter into a hillside that sits against their backyard.

But it took just 30 minutes late Thursday night for the mud to flow, bending much of the fence and burying nearly all the sandbags and their backyard in a thick layer of mud.

“This was a beautiful lawn,” Diane Stibal said. “This was $32,000 worth of landscaping. I had just planted my pansies.”

For those living in hillside areas, the threat of mudslides has loomed large since this past summer's Station fire charred much of the San Gabriel Mountains, burning nearly all the vegetation and providing near-perfect conditions for flows should rain fall.

Although the rains Thursday were brief, they proved how real that danger is, especially with the El Niño rains to come.

“This was a small storm,” said Arthur Vander Vis, an on-site engineer for L.A. County Public Works. “It’s a wake-up call for the residents. We’re not joking when we put all this K-rail out here. It’s serious.”

-- Baxter Holmes in La Cañada Flintridge

Photo: Gary and Diane Stibal look out from their home to survey the mud and debris flow that filled their backyard. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. Forest Service report: Station fire terrain too steep to fight safely

A U.S. Forest Service review has concluded that the Station fire in the San Gabriel Mountains raged out of control because it spread to terrain too steep for firefighters to safely confront the flames and not because of delays in ordering water-dropping aircraft and more crews.

The agency launched the inquiry after The Times reported that commanders had underestimated the threat posed by the blaze during its first day and reduced the number of helicopters and crews deployed for the following morning.

In a report released today, the Forest Service says commanders used “best professional practices” in trying to knock down the blaze when it was still small. The fire burned 250 square miles of the Angeles National Forest, killed two Los Angeles County firefighters and destroyed about 90 dwellings.

The Times also reported that helicopters did not arrive in force on the critical second day of the fire, Aug. 27, until several hours after first light and after ground crews started to attack the flames along Angeles Crest Highway.

In addition, the Forest Service had issued a memorandum three weeks before the blaze ordering managers to cut firefighting costs by minimizing their use of reinforcements from local and state agencies. Today’s report says costs played no role in the Forest Service’s decisions to use fewer reinforcements from Los Angeles County on Day 2 of the Station fire.

-- Paul Pringle

Mudslide damages six homes, closes road in La Cañada Flintridge [Updated]

Residents and officials are assessing the damage after a burn area above La Cañada Flintridge gave way, sending waves of mud through a foothill neighborhood, damaging six homes and nearly covering some cars.

Rock Castle Drive remained closed this morning as public works crews cleaned up the area and firefighters monitored the situation, said L.A. County Fire Inspector Frederic Stowers.

Fire crews and residents have been bracing for mudslides ever since the deadly Station fire ravaged and denuded the Angeles National Forest this summer, a slide threat that is expected to remain for three to five years.

[Updated at 9:47 p.m.: “It’s a little nerve-racking because you don’t know, you don’t know if you have enough time,” said Diane Rohan, 38, as she took her morning walk past county workers clearing mud and debris from the street.

Rohan’s Ocean View Boulevard home was unaffected, but her nerves were frayed.

“It used to rain and you’d be, ‘OK, that’s great,’” she said. “Now it’s, ‘Is the hill going to come down?’”]

A hillside gave way during a particularly heavy period of rain shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, when one to two inches dropped within five minutes, sending many tons of mud onto Rock Castle Drive and backyards along Normanton Drive. Four to five feet of mud flowed over the protective K-rails that line Rock Castle, blanketing the roadway and covering some cars to their roofs, Stowers said.

Orange County unveils ambitious brush-fire warning system, a year after devastating blaze

 

Orange County today will unveil an ambitious fire warning system designed to better alert residents to the danger of brush fires.

The new program, called OC Fire Watch, comes a year after the massive Freeway Complex fire swept through Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills, damaging or destroying more than 300 homes. At the time, fire officials said they wanted to work on ways to better alert residents to fast-moving brush fires.

As part of the program, government agencies around the county will raise red flags outside government buildings, parks and fire stations when the National Weather Service issues "red flag" fire warnings.

Additional, the county will create a volunteer program to help with fire warnings. Officials will train volunteers on communications procedures, map reading and how to report dangerous fire situations, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

“The memories of last year’s Freeway Complex fire and the Santiago fire two years ago still linger as  painful reminders of the devastation wildfires can inflict on our wilderness areas and nearby residential  communities,” Board of Supervisor Chair Patricia Bates said in a statement.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: Aftermath of Freeway Complex fire in Yorba Linda. Credit: Al Schaben / Los Angeles Times

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Brush fire breaks out in Soledad Canyon [Updated]

Firefighters are battling a three- to five-acre wildfire in Soledad Canyon that is burning brush but not threatening structures.

The blaze broke out about 3:15 p.m, prompting a response by county firefighters and the U.S. Forest Service, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

[Updated at 4:25 p.m.: The blaze was knocked down at 4:05 p.m. and confined to four acres, authorities said.]

The rugged canyon is covered with chaparral in an area near the 14 Freeway.

-- Robert J. Lope

State recovers $27 million for victims of 2007 San Diego County wildfire [Updated]

California regulators have recovered more than $27 million from insurance companies stemming from several hundred complaints filed by victims after a devastating 2007 wildfire in San Diego County, officials said today.

The California Department of Insurance said that consumers had filed 391 complaints alleging unfair treatment by insurance carriers in the aftermath of the Witch fire, which broke out in northern San Diego County in October 2007.

The Witch fire killed two people, destroyed 1,650 structures and charred more than 197,000 acres. That blaze and several others in 2007 caused $2.3 billion in losses, the department said.

Of the 391 complaints, 70 involved underinsurance allegations, according to the department.

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said he had spoken with officials at major insurance carriers to ensure that claims are paid out as quickly as possible.

[Updated, 6:50 p.m.: In all, nearly 40,000 claims were filed in connection with California wildfires in 2007, the department said.]

"If they still refuse to honor their agreements with fire survivors," Poizner said in a statement,  "I will take appropriate action to enforce the law."

The department urged victims of recent Southern California wildfires to contact authorities at (800) 927-HELP if they need assistance. Consumers can also visit the wildfire information section on the department's web page.

-- Robert J. Lopez

Fires in Diamond Bar near full containment

Fire crews are close to full containment this morning on a series of brush fires that broke out Tuesday along the 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar, officials said.

“It’s not 100% contained yet, but it’s awfully close,” said L.A. County Fire Department Inspector Matt Levesque.

No charges will be filed against the motorist whose pickup truck's faulty catalytic converter is believed responsible for sparking the fires, he said. The driver was detained for questioning and released.

Less than 50 acres burned, but fire crews stayed through the night to cut a line around the fires and to make sure there weren’t any lingering hot spots, Levesque said. The fires were first reported about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday. 

All engine crews have been released, but three camp crews and two supervisors remain, he said.

This morning, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department announced that no charges will be filed against that driver, and the incident is being deemed an accident, said Sheriff’s Deputy Aura Sierra. The name of the driver has not been released.

-- Baxter Holmes

Photo: Los Angeles County firefighters check for hot spots Tuesday below Scenic Ridge Drive in Chino Hills just above the 60 Freeway. Credit: Gina Ferazzi  / Los Angeles Times

Fires break out in Diamond Bar, threatening homes; 2 people detained [Updated]

Multiple fires broke out along the 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar today, threatening homes, causing traffic backups and prompting a massive response from firefighters.

More than 250 firefighters and numerous aircraft battled what appeared to be eight fires that were reported around 11:45 a.m. in the hills south of the 60 Freeway between the 57 and 71 freeways. No homes were  lost, but the flames came close to several upscale hillside subdivisions.

Students at Diamond Ranch High School took shelter in the gymnasium and prepared to be evacuated if needed, but Pomona Unified School District officials said the campus was not threatened by the fire.

Small fire burning near homes in Hollywood Hills

A small fire has broken out in the Hollywood Hills, but it appears not to be threatening any homes.

The fire was burning on Forest Knoll Drive, west of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and north of Sunset Boulevard.

TV news footage showed residents using their garden hoses to fight the fire. As of 6 p.m., no flames were visible, and it's unclear when firefighters will contain the blaze.

Officials had warned that winds today could heighten fire danger.

-- Shelby Grad

Winds in L.A. area bring red-flag fire warning

Officials issued a red-flag fire danger warning today in hillside areas of Southern California because of continued gusty winds and dry conditions.

The fire warning will last through the afternoon because of the northeastern winds, according to the National Weather Service. No fires have been reported today, and firefighters hope cool temperatures and humidity will prevent any blazes from spreading. There was a small fire Tuesday near Getty Center, but it was quickly extinguished.

Winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected across the Southland, but some areas could still experience gusts of up to 70 mph. A wind advisory this morning was in effect throughout the region until 11 a.m., said Stewart Seto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Air quality in wildfire-ravaged areas of the San Gabriel Valley was expected to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive people because of the dust and ash whipped up by the winds, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Officials issued a red-flag fire danger warning today in hillside areas of Southern California because of continued gusty winds and dry conditions.

The fire warning will last through the afternoon because of the northeastern winds, according to the National Weather Service. No fires have been reported today, and firefighters hope cool temperatures and humidity will prevent any blazes from spreading. There was a small fire Tuesday near Getty Center, but it was quickly extinguished.

Winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected across the Southland, but some areas could still experience gusts of up to 70 mph. A wind advisory this morning was in effect throughout the region until 11 a.m., said Stewart Seto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Air quality in wildfire-ravaged areas of the San Gabriel Valley was expected to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive people because of the dust and ash whipped up by the winds, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

'Strong to damaging' winds to batter L.A. through Wednesday morning; cable snaps on Bay Bridge [Updated]

 The National Weather Service issued an alert this evening warning of “strong to damaging" northerly winds in Southern California that will continue through Wednesday morning.

[Updated at 7:40 p.m.: Strong winds this evening forced one flight heading to Los Angeles International Airport to be diverted to another airfield,  said Allen Kenitzer, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. He said the winds, gusting up to 35 knots, forced two other flights to use "missed approach" procedures, meaning each had to make two attempts to land.]

Wind gusts topping 50 mph swept into Los Angeles County  this afternoon, causing scattered power outages from downed power lines in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.

In the Bay Area, a cable snapped on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, hitting three vehicles. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the cable was on a newly built span of the bridge's upper deck. Caltrans engineers were checking the structural integrity of the bridge, according to the newspaper.

[Updated at 8:08 p.m.: Authorities ordered that both directions of the Bay Bridge be closed tonight. California Highway Patrol Officer Peter Van Eckhardt said the bridge was expected to be closed for at least 24 hours so that crews could repair the damage.]

TV footage showed that wind knocked down a large sign at a Jack in the Box restaurant in North Hollywood, and that police had blocked off part of Saticoy Street because of downed power lines.

According to the weather service, strong gusts hit Malibu, Van Nuys, Lancaster and other areas this afternoon.

Warnings were issued to boaters, and firefighters were placed on alert because the winds bring new fire dangers. There was a small fire this afternoon in the Sepulveda Pass that firefighters quickly contained.

In areas burned in the recent Station fire, the wind blew up large amounts of dust and debris.

[Updated at 8:26 p.m.: Strong winds in Eaton Canyon blew down a tree in Altadena, blocking a private road off Pinecrest Drive. A car was hit by the falling tree, authorities said.]

-- Shelby Grad, Rong-Gong Lin II, Andrew Blankstein

Small fire breaks out near Getty Center

A small brush fire broke out this afternoon in the Sepulveda Pass near the Getty Center.

The fire in the 1300 block of Sepulveda Boulevard was relatively small, and firefighters were on the scene, officials said.

No homes or structures were immediately threatened.

The fire broke out just before 2 p.m.

-- Shelby Grad

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Wildfire in Santa Cruz County prompts evacuations [Updated]

A wildfire burning today in Santa Cruz County has consumed about 800 acres and prompted the evacuation of about 150 homes in neighborhoods north of Watsonville, fire officials said.

[Updated 4 p.m.: Fire officials said their earlier estimate of 800 acres burned was incorrect. They now say the fire has burned 600 acres. Winds are fading, and a trailer and two outbuildings have burned. The fire is  20% contained.]

The fire broke out about 3 a.m. in an area off California 17 on the border of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, said Cherie Alver of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Mandatory evacuations were issued about 6 a.m., and the fire is 5% contained.

Warm, windy weather, with gusts up to 35 mph is fueling the blaze, which is burning on the south side of the mountains.

The cause of the wildfire has not been determined, Alver said. About 1,200 firefighters are expected to be on the scene this afternoon, said Jim Crawford, a public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire is burning near a mountainous area where a wildfire last year destroyed 29 homes and threatened the Mount Madonna retreat center.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz