L.A. Wildfire Update: 30 Percent Contained, 3 Injured, 3 Suspects Held
Three men have been arrested in connection with the wildfire that has already scorched 1,700 acres and destroyed five structures in the mountain foothill community of Glendora, Calif., about 30 miles north-east of downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County Fire officials report the fire is now 30 percent contained and all forward progress has been successfully halted. No related deaths were reported, although there were injuries to three people, including two firefighters.
Glendora Police said three suspects were detained near a location called Colby Trail, where the fire was apparently started.
Police identified the suspects as Robert Aguirre, 21, of Los Angeles; Jonathan Carl Jarrell, 23, of Irwindale; and Clifford Eugene Henry Jr., 22, of Glendora.
Bail had initially been set for each of the suspects at $20,000 but, according to police Sgt. Michael Henderson, was enhanced to $500,000 each at about 4:30 p.m. due to the extensive property damage.
At least one of those detained was known to be homeless, according to Glendora Police Chief Tim Staab said.
Mayor Joseph A. Santoro explained a resident saw "a couple of suspicious fellows moving down from the hill into the wash" and called police, who soon intercepted two of the suspects while a United States Forest Service officer detained the third.
Forest Service spokeswoman L'Tanga Watson indicated the national forest has been under "very high" fire danger restrictions that are posted on signs throughout the area and bar campfires anywhere except in camp fire rings in designated campgrounds. She added that there are no designated campgrounds where it's believed the fire began.
Los Angeles County Fire Deputy Chief John Tripp said during a late afternoon news conference that five homes had been destroyed and 17 structures damaged by the fire. At one point, the fire, which was whipped up across dry and dense hillside terrain by strong Santa Ana winds, threatened upwards of 500 homes.
At the end of the day, evacuation orders were still in place for thousands of residents residents of this community of only about 50,000 -- although fire officials indicated to reporters there were plans to allow some residents to return home as fighters got an upper hand on the blaze.
But some residents will be allowed to return home as firefighters begin to take control of the fire.
An estimated 700 firefighters were sent to the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which had as well sent two tanker planes and eight helicopters to help douse the flames.
Several schools were shut for the day and local officials issued a smoke advisory for Los Angeles County and the nearby region.
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