Some Evacuations Lifted After Fire Breaks Out In Monrovia

MONROVIA, CA – A fire threatening homes prompted evacuations and a quick response from firefighters in Monrovia Saturday evening.

The Norumbega Fire burned about five acres up a hill at moderate speeds, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The blaze broke out about 7:40 p.m. behind homes in the area of the 500 block of Norumbega Drive, near the foothills of the Angeles National Forest.

Evacuations were ordered for the 500 to 1000 block of Norumbega Drive and Starlit Lane, according to the Monrovia Police Department. The evacuees included a group of Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts who were camping at Camp Trask, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service, Monrovia Fire & Rescue and Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the scene. Officials described the blaze as "terrain and fuels-driven."

By about 10 p.m., firefighters had control of the fire and evacuations were lifted for residents in the 600 through 1000 block of Norumbega Drive, according to the city of Monrovia. A mandatory evacuation continued to be in effect for residents in the 500 block of Norumbega Drive.

"The latest information we have from the field is that our firefighters have gotten a hose line laid down around the fire, that the fire continues to stay at around five acres in size, and that favorable weather conditions have aided our efforts in getting the fire knocked down," city officials said in a statement.

The city opened an evacuation center at the Monrovia Community Center at 119 West Palm Ave. in Monrovia. Pets were being accepted.

Image via Renee Schiavone/Patch