Full Containment on Madre Fire Expected Friday

The wildfire north of Azusa that has burned about 250 acres of national forest land was 72 percent surrounded Wednesday and expected to be fully contained by Friday morning.

The Madre Fire was reported at 5:56 p.m. Monday along San Gabriel Canyon (39) Road and burned into the Angeles National Forest. It was unclear how the fire started.  Watch video above from the night the fire broke out.

By Tuesday night, firefighters had the fire about 70 percent contained or surrounded by defensible fire lines.

About 520 firefighters were assigned to the blaze as of Wednesday morning, backed by seven helicopters, Ryan Carey of the U.S. Forest Service said.

Although SuperScooper airplanes were used earlier this week, none was deployed today, Carey said.

The National Weather Service issued a high wind advisory for the area, effective from noon Wednesday to 3 a.m. Thursday. Winds primarily out of northwest at 20-30 mph were forecast, with gusts up 45 mph by the afternoon. The strongest gusts were expected in the late afternoon and evening, according to the NWS.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory today for areas of the San Gabriel Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains.

The AQMD urged people to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in any area directly impacted by smoke, including areas where residents can see or smell smoke.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Keith Mora said two firefighters have been injured. One suffered minor injuries to a leg when he was grazed by a falling boulder, and a second firefighter suffered an eye injury.

Threats to homes on the fire's eastern flank diminished Monday into Tuesday, and fire commanders lifted evacuation orders in the area, Nathan Judy of the forest service said.

Encanto Parkway in Duarte remained closed to all but residents.

– City News Service.