2 children hurt as Fork Fire burns in the Angeles National Forest
At least two children suffered injuries after a fire rapidly grew in the Angeles National Forest.
The children suffered smoke inhalation injuries.
It started in the San Gabriel Mountains above Glendora at about 3:10 p.m. near the East Fork Road area. The Angeles National Forest dubbed the blaze the Fork Fire. As of 6 p.m., the wildfire had quickly grown to consume around 250 acres.
By 7 a.m. the following morning, it was 330 acres, but later in the day crews reported that the blaze had not grown any more. On Monday, they reported that they had reached 45% containment.
The Angeles National Forest issued evacuation orders with a staging area in the parking lot, with trail access to the Bridge to Nowhere. East Fork Road is closed from Highway 39 to Glendora Mountain Road.
Highway 39 will also be closed through the weekend, with the closure possibly lasting until Thursday, crews said.
The closures added to an already tense situation as families at the base of the mountains were not allowed to reunite with their relatives at campgrounds up the hill.
"I came down here for a charge and I left my 16-year-old up there," one father said when he returned from charging his car. "He thinks I'm going to be back up there in about an hour and half. I'm worried he's at the camp by himself, waiting for me."
The Fork Fire caused the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue an air quality advisory.