A day of firefighting across Los Angeles intensified Saturday evening when a vegetation fire erupted in West Covina, forcing neighborhood evacuations as the region’s latest active blaze.
The Galster fire broke out at 5:41 p.m. on June 13 near Galster Wilderness Park, growing from 1 to 4 acres by 7 p.m. As flames spread, local authorities requested evacuations for residential neighborhoods along Castle Rock Court and Westridge Road, according to Watch Duty, a nonprofit app that tracks wildfires.
To keep the fire from advancing into the neighborhoods, incident command requested an additional five engine companies to reinforce the one helicopter and four hand crews already battling the blaze.
The fire capped off a relentless afternoon for regional emergency crews, coming just hours after firefighters contained a 4-acre fire in nearby San Dimas and continued to battle the massive 300-acre Lemon fire in a steep ravine south of Palmdale.
This is a developing story. Please check back later for updates.
Lemon fire slows after burning 250 acres, but crews remain on scene