Jul 28, 2008 1:34 am US/Pacific
L.A. Griffith Park Fire Brought Under Control
LOS ANGELES (AP) ―
Thousands of visitors were evacuated from the Los Angeles Zoo on Sunday as a fast-moving brush fire burned in nearby Griffith Park and forced the relocation of 16 rare California condors.
The fire burned about 25 acres and was contained in under three hours, said Los Angeles fire spokesman Ron Myers. No injuries or structural damage were reported and the cause of the fire was under investigation, he said.
Myers estimated about 200 firefighters from various agencies responded to the fire, and four helicopters dropped water in the park's northern end, near the site of a blaze that burned about 1,200 acres in May 2007.
Myers said the blaze could have been worse on a hotter day with stronger winds.
"We had favorable conditions," Myers said.
Smoke could be seen from Highway 134 billowing up from the hills in the park, blowing north toward the San Fernando Valley.
Flames came within about 1,000 feet of a California condor enclosure on the outskirts of the zoo, forcing the relocation of the condors and two vultures from a breeding area at the edge of the zoo, said zoo spokesman Jason Jacobs. It was not immediately clear when the condors would be returned.
Jacobs said about 4,000 zoo visitors were evacuated about 15 minutes after the fire was reported.
Fire Cmdr. Mark Stormes said the California Highway Patrol closed some of the highway's exit ramps to control traffic around the park.
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