The largest fire in Los Angeles history is engulfing thousands of acres of land and forcing residents to evacuate homes throughout the county.
The fire, dubbed the La Tuna Fire after the canyon where it erupted, has already burned through 8,000 acres of land, and the heatwave in the area along with erratic winds are proving major obstacles for firefighters trying control the blaze.
The fire broke out Friday and has already forced the partial closure of the 210 Freeway, a major thoroughfare. The 210 is closed between the Glendale Freeway and Sunland Boulevard.
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La Tuna Fire is seen raging behind the Burbank Town Center Mall early morning Saturday as fire and smoke burns the hills
A crew with California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection battles La Tuna on a hillside in Burbank
La Tuna Fire rages behind the Hollywood Hills on Friday, with the famed Hollywood sign in the front, right
A firefighter gets into position to battle the LaTuna fire burning alongside the 210 freeway in Sunland on Saturday
The blaze comes dangerously close to this hillside property where emergency responders have parked in the driveway
Firefighters monitor the LaTuna fire burning alongside the 210 freeway in Sunland where flames are shown licking the side of a hill
The blaze raging along the hillside in Burbank engulfs brush and trees and flames lick up the hillside
A helicopter fights the blaze from above in an effort to save people’s homes as flames are seen just above this home’s roof
The massive blaze is fought from the air by a helicopter trying to save a property where the fire is creeping dangerously close
It’s unclear when the freeway will completely reopen, according to the LA Times.
The blaze started with just one acre of brush on Friday.
The enormous blaze led authorities to evacuate more than 700 homes in a north Los Angeles neighborhood and in nearby Burbank and Glendale, officials said.
The wildfire on the northern edge of Los Angeles rapidly grew on Saturday into what the mayor called the largest blaze in the city’s history.
‘We can’t recall anything larger,’ Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas during a 10am news conference Saturday.
‘Our priority is saving people and saving property,’ Terrazas said, according to the LA Times.
The fire raged alongside the 210 Freeway in Sunland, California leading authorities to close portions of the busy thoroughfare
A resident stops along the 210 Freeway to check on his home and survey the fire and smoke engulfing areas of Sunland
People watch flames of La Tuna Fire blaze on a hill in the Shadow Hills neighborhood Saturday. Smoke completely fills the sky
A fire truck passes by burning brush along La Tuna Canyon Road, closed to traffic, in the Verdugo Mountains
A deer runs along the 210 Freeway, normally packed with vehciles, escaping the fire in Sunland on Saturday
Residents on the 210 freeway try to see their house on the other side of thick smoke and flames near the community of Tujunga during the La Tuna Fire
People carry their belongings and dog to a car to evacuate the area as the La Tuna Fire approaches in the Shadow Hills
People in Burbank watch the smoke and flames below in a canyon. Smoke engulfing the canyon below
Bonnie Murphy is able to evacuate her horses with the help of good Samaritan neighbor Bill Ray Orme (L) in Shadow Hills
Bonnie Murphy struggles to evacuate her horses as the La Tuna Fire covers the Shadow Hills neighborhood Saturday
Units of the LAFD on scene responding to fire along La Tuna Canyon Road near Burbank as fire trucks park to survey the area
The La Tuna Canyon fire over Burbank as a canyon in covered in thick smoke and flames can be seen close to homes
The La Tuna Fire rages in Burbank as flames eat through brush and trees on a hillslope
The La Tuna Canyon fire over Burbank Saturday as fire weaves through the hillside eating brush and trees in its path
The La Tuna Fire comes dangerously close to properties as large flames loom in the distance on Saturday
Firefighters use hoses and helicopters to fight the La Tuna Fire on Saturday near Burbank
‘There is a lot of un-burned fuel in this area,’ he added, noting this is the first fire in the area in 33 years.
Fire in thick brush that has not burned in decades was slowly creeping down a rugged hillside on Saturday toward houses, with temperatures in the area approaching 100 degrees, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in an alert.
Authorities warned of erratic winds that could force them to widen the evacuation zone, after the fire destroyed one house in Los Angeles on Saturday…….More Here