A smoky brush fire was burning Saturday afternoon in the Wildwood Canyon area of Burbank.
The fire was reported about 3 p.m. Aug. 8 in the area of East Harvard Road and Wildwood. There were unconfirmed reports that it was started when a vehicle hit a tree.
The city of Burbank ordered the evacuation of DeBell Golf Club and its restaurant, 1500 E. Walnut Ave., near the Stough Canyon Nature Center, with hiking trails closed until further notice.
The Starlight Bowl concert scheduled for Saturday was canceled.
“The fire is now approx 20 acres with a moderate rate of spread in medium to heavy brush,(with) potential for 50 acres in the next hour,” Watch Duty, a nonprofit app that tracks wildfires, reported shortly before 4 p.m. “The fire is backing downhill towards structures – per copter at scene.”
An employee at the Castaway restaurant at 1250 E. Harvard Road said those at the eatery were not ordered or warned to evacuate, but to shelter in place.
Television news video showed at least two helicopters in the air over the canyon assisting firefighters on the ground as nearby residents watched nervously and fire engines were on standby in neighborhoods.
The city stated it was receiving assistance from other fire departments in the region.