Madre fire near Azusa: Firefighters brace for strong winds

1/10

A DC-10 drops retardant on the Madre fire in the Angeles National Forest near Azusa. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

2/10

A Super Scooper makes a water drop on the Madre fire in the Angeles National Forest near Azusa. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

3/10

A Los Angeles County firefighter monitors the brush fire on the hills of the San Gabriel Canyon area above Azusa, (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

4/10

A helicopter monitors the brush fire on the hills of the San Gabriel Canyon area above Azusa. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

5/10

A U.S. Forest Service firefighter at the flood control basin watching the brush fire on the hills of the San Gabriel Canyon. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

6/10

A U.S. Forest Service firefighter pulls on a hose. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

7/10

A helicopter drops water during a brush fire in San Gabriel Canyon above Azusa. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)

8/10

A brush fire burns along ridge lines near San Gabriel Canyon Road in Azusa. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

9/10

Brush fire sends a plume of smoke into the sky. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

10/10

People watch as a smoke plume from a brush fire rises in San Gabriel Canyon above Azusa. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Los Angeles Times)

By Ari Bloomekatz

Sept. 25, 2013 11:42 AM PT

Firefighters battling the Madre fire in the mountains above Azusa were trying to hold containment lines Wednesday as strong northeasterly winds threatened their progress.

The winds “will not help out at all,” said U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Bob Brady.

One of the reasons strong winds are a threat is because they could carry sparks and embers a significant distance, Brady said.

The fire, which began Monday in San Gabriel Canyon, was 72% contained Wednesday and had consumed 250 acres. The number of personnel battling the blaze also increased for the third day in a row to 522, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Three firefighters were injured battling the blaze, but the issues were minor, the U.S. Forest Service said, and the firefighters are back on the front lines.

ALSO:

Madre fire near Azusa: Aggressive air attack proves effective

After O.C. raid targeting Mexican Mafia, 21 suspects still at large

Man who escaped from Chino prison in 1977 is captured, FBI says

Twitter: @aribloomekatz | Facebook

ari.bloomekatz@latimes.com