Brush Fire Perils Homes in Duarte

Firefighters battled a 100-acre brush fire near homes in Duarte late Friday, hoping to control the blaze during the night as it moved northward into the Angeles National Forest.

Residents wet down roofs and piled possessions into cars as the fire burned within 100 yards of homes near South Greenbank Avenue and Deerlane Drive. Some of them joined about 100 county firefighters in fighting the fire.

Fire officials said the fire broke out at 6:30 p.m., and 10 engine companies and six hand crews responded. Two helicopters aided in the effort until dark. No injuries were reported.

“The winds were in our favor tonight,” said county Fire Division Chief John Cummings. “Otherwise, we would have had a real problem.”

Four youngsters, ranging from 14 to 16 years of age, were questioned at the Temple City Sheriff’s Substation in connection with the fire, according to Sheriff’s Sgt. Daniel Edginton.

“The scariest part is that you walk into your house and think, ‘What do I take?’ said Debbie Ayers, who lives on Greenbank Avenue “It’s a real frightening thing to think that everything you own could go up.”

Elsewhere Friday, fire broke out shortly before 1 p.m. near California 138 east of Interstate 5 in Gorman, county Fire Department spokesman Terry Dillman said. The blaze blackened about 60 acres of grass and brush before it was contained at mid-afternoon.