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LA wildfire forces evacuations
09/05/2007 19:27 - (SA)
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| Towering flames threaten the Griffith Park Merry-go-Round area as low humidity and hot winds placed southern California into an early fire season. (Keith Collum, AP) |
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Ron Word and Amy Forliti
Los Angeles - Firefighters made progress early on Wednesday against a wildfire blazing over in the brush-covered hills behind the city's iconic Griffith Observatory.
Animals at the nearby Los Angeles Zoo were moved indoors, and dozens of homes were evacuated.
The 600-acre blaze in sprawling Griffith Park was just one of many that firefighters were battling across the country.
Overnight, five helicopters flew dangerous water-dropping missions in Los Angeles, helping fire crews get the blaze about 40% contained.
Griffith Park is a mix of wilderness, cultural sites, horse and hiking trails and recreational facilities set on more than 4 000 acres in the hills between Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley.
Visitors to its Greek Theatre, Observatory and the Museum of the American West were told to leave.
At the Autry National Centre staff threw tarps over the collections to protect them in case the sprinkler system went off, said Faith Raiguel, chief operating officer.
'A sad night'
The flames forced officials to put most of the Los Angeles Zoo's 1 200 animals inside holding quarters.
"So far the animals are faring fine," said Jason Jacobs, director of marketing and public relations for the zoo. "I haven't heard any reports of anything going wrong."
About 35 people who live near the park, out of an estimated 300 evacuated from nearby homes, checked in to an evacuation centre at a high school.
Authorities hoped residents would be able to return to their homes by evening.
The fire destroyed Dante's View, a trailside terraced garden on Mount Hollywood, said city councilman Tom LaBonge.
"This is a very sad night for Los Angeles," he said.
On the net:
National Interagency Fire Centre
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