HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – Another brush fire erupted in fire-weary Los Angeles County, this time advancing rapidly in the Hollywood Hills Thursday near the popular Runyon Canyon area, prompting mandatory evacuation orders as the flames threatened homes.
The Sunset Fire erupted around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in an area near Solar and Astral drives, and crews on the scene reported the blaze was moving quickly uphill and rapidly threatening homes, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The blaze was estimated initially at 10 acres, but it grew rapidly and doubled to at least 20 acres in about an hour, according to Cal Fire.
As of midnight Thursday, it had grown to 43 acres and was 0% contained.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for a sprawling area between Laurel Canyon Boulevard and the Hollywood (101) Freeway, from Mulholland Drive on the north to Hollywood Boulevard on the south. An evacuation center was established at Pan Pacific Recreation Center, 7600 Beverly Blvd.
Multiple water-dropping aircraft were being used in hopes of slowing the fire’s advance.
There was no immediate word on how the fire started.
LAFD crews ordered several road closures in the area, including a shutdown of popular Hollywood Boulevard between La Brea Avenue and Crescent Heights Boulevard.
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