Local News in Brief : Fire Chars 600 Acres of National Forest
Flames raging through the Angeles National Forest blackened more than 600 acres Sunday afternoon and smoke carried by stiff winds delayed traffic on Interstate 5, authorities said.
The fire appeared to have started in at least two and possibly three places north of Hungry Valley Road near Pyramid Lake, said Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Larry Rich.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation, but arson is suspected, Rich said.
The fire was reported at 2:55 p.m. on the outskirts of the forest and it quickly spread into rugged terrain, Rich said.
Five air tankers dumping fire-retardant chemicals bombarded the flames for more than three hours while nearly 300 firefighters from Los Angeles County and the U.S. Forest Service worked on the ground. By 7:30 p.m., the fire was deemed under control and firefighters started being released.
No injuries were reported and no structures were threatened, but a traffic advisory was issued for Interstate 5, California Highway Patrol Officer Margaret Sowers said.
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