A wildfire began burning in Angeles National Forest near Lancaster on Monday, growing to 75 acres by late afternoon, fire officials said.
No one had been hurt and no homes were threatened as of 3:18 p.m., according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Supervisor Bernard Peters.
Reports of a blaze first came in about 2 p.m., according to Peters, who said approximately 100 county firefighters were responding to the scene alongside U.S. Forest Service personnel. Crews were also battling the blaze with water drops from helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, Peters said.
Peters could not immediately comment on the cause of the fire, which he said was burning in the forest near the Bouquet Reservoir, close to Lancaster and Gorman.
Early reports that a vehicle fire had sparked the wildfire were inaccurate, Peters said. The fire had grown to 75 acres by about 3:30 p.m. Monday, according to the Twitter account for the Angeles National Forest. The account described the speed of the fire’s spread as “moderate” and said the blaze was “holding” near a ridge.
News footage from the scene showed thick plumes of white smoke hanging over the area, as aircraft dropped fire retardant onto burning vegetation.
