Firefighters are starting to make headway in their fight against the La Tuna brush fire near Burbank, California in Los Angeles County, which has grown to become the largest fire by acreage that LA has seen.
On the 3rd September, fire crews had the 7000 acre blaze contained by 30% by the evening, which was double their containment levels from earlier on in the day.
Life is slowly returning to normal for residents too, as Interstate 210 – a major traffic artery in Los Angeles – reopened on the 3rd September, having been partially closed since the 1st September due to the La Tuna fire.
A state of emergency for Los Angeles County was issued by California Governor Jerry Brown on the 3rd September as a result of the ongoing blaze, and this declaration now means that state personnel and equipment can be used in fighting the blazes, at the direction of the California Office of Emergency Services.
Over 1000 firefighters from both the immediate region and throughout California are tackling the blaze, of which four have suffered from non-life-threatening injuries. The fire itself has destroyed three homes and significantly damaged one other.
At present, 206 fire engines and nine helicopters are specifically dedicated to dealing with the fire, which started on the 1st September before ripping through the La Tuna Canyon Park area of the Verdugo Mountains.
