Firefighting aircraft makes a pass over the brush fire that ignited near Brand Park this week. Crews contained the 16.7-acre blaze, which damaged no structures and injured none.
Quick and precise work by firefighting crews from Glendale and surrounding partners helped to cap a brush blaze that erupted behind Brand Park on Tuesday, bringing relief to the city in the wake of the state’s struggles with wildfires this year.
Forward progression of the fire was halted at 4:05 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Glendale Fire Department, not quite two hours after it was first reported at 2:15 p.m. The fire was fully contained by 7:15 p.m.
In spite of its proximity to residential streets and the Brand Park and Library, miraculously no structures were damaged and there were no injuries.
“We were able to contain it quickly,” Fire Chief Silvio Lanzas said in a phone interview.
There were 123 firefighters involved in combating the blaze, with crews from the Los Angeles County, Los Angeles City, Burbank and Pasadena fire departments joining in to assist. Tanker planes and helicopters played a significant role Tuesday, Lanzas reported, on account of the threat of possible Santa Ana winds following a blustery Monday.
Lanzas pointed to regular training as helping to get the different agencies on the same page and added that Glendale firefighters just as frequently assist in other fires.
“We train all year long with our co-operators,” he said. “Obviously on the Bobcat Fire, we had resources there. The California fire service is really known for its partnership and collaboration when we need it. Obviously there’s not a single agency in the state that can do it alone. We’ve all got to work together.”
Tuesday’s fire was ignited at a home nearby, where workers were using mechanized equipment to cut rebar. Sparks from the cutting hit nearby vegetation and quickly began growing.
The blaze ultimately spread to 16.7 acres before it was contained. Police evacuated 14 homes on West Mountain Street and Idlewood Road as a precaution, and the city also shut off power in the 900 and 1000 blocks of West Mountain as another precautionary measure.
The GFD issued a reminder to residents to not operate power tools or use power landscaping tools on hot dry days and to limit preventative brush clearance to being done before 10 a.m.
For tips on how to create defensible spaces around your home, visit glendaleca.gov/government/departments/fire-department/fire-prevention/defensible-space.
