100-ACRE BLAZE FORCES CLOSURE OF ZOO, MUSEUM.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer A fast-moving brush fire, fanned by 15 to 20 mph winds, burned more than 100 acres in Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large public park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. It is situated in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers 4,210 acres (17 km²) of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America. on Tuesday, prompting evacuations of the L.A. Zoo and the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage. No injuries were reported in the blaze that occurred shortly after 1 p.m. near the merry-go-round on the eastern side of the sprawling 4,107-acre park, Fire Department spokesman Alan Masumoto said. About 250 firefighters from Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , Los Angeles County and Glendale fought the blaze aided by five water-dropping helicopters. By evening, firefighters had the blaze about 85 percent contained, Fire Department spokesman Jim Wells Jim Wells MLA (born 27 April 1957) is a politician from the Democratic Unionist Party and a deputy speaker of the Transitional Assembly (Northern Ireland). Wells is one of six Assembly members for South Down. said. ``This one was closer and more serious than most,'' zoo spokeswoman Lora LaMarca said of the fire which prompted early closure of the zoo at 3:30 p.m. The facility usually closes at 5 p.m. Officials placed the zoo's 1,200 animals in their night quarters and canceled the World of Birds show, which calls for fowl to be released from the hills surrounding the zoo. As a precaution, authorities sealed off entrances to Griffith Park, evacuated e·vac·u·ate v. e·vac·u·at·ed, e·vac·u·at·ing, e·vac·u·ates v.tr. 1. a. To empty or remove the contents of. b. To create a vacuum in. 2. about 200 people from the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage and closed the Boys Camp and the Harding Golf Course, Wells said. Park visitors seemed to take the inconvenience in stride Adv. 1. in stride - without losing equilibrium; "she took all his criticism in stride" in good spirits . Those turned away from the zoo and the museum were given complimentary tickets complimentary ticket n → billet m de faveur complimentary ticket n → biglietto d'omaggio for another day, officials said. ``We saw the ashes falling and you could smell the fire,'' said Bill Heidman, who was visiting the zoo with his wife, Lisa, and their 22-month-old son. They evacuated but plan to return to the zoo as soon as they can. ``It didn't bother us,'' Lisa Heidman said of her family's early departure. ``We can get in our cars and drive home. I feel sorry for the animals and the firefighters.'' Sylmar hiker Paula Reynosa said she enjoyed the excitement. ``It was an adventure of the day for me,''said Reynosa, who was hiking in the park when the fire erupted. ``There were licks of flame going up into the eucalyptus eucalyptus (y  'kəlĭp`təs): see myrtle. eucalyptus trees. It was beautiful. All colorful.'' Strong winds and rugged terrain made it difficult for firefighters to gain control of the blaze, Masumoto said. ``It's all rugged terrain and with the wind it's accelerating,'' he said. Helicopters were key to fighting the fire. ``It's an inaccessible inaccessible Surgery adjective Unreachable; referring to a lesion that unmanageable by standard surgical techniques–eg, lesions deep in the brain or adjacent to vital structures–ie, not accessible. See Accessible. area and the only way to effectively get it is with precision water drops rather than placing anyone in jeopardy,'' Masumoto said. CAPTION(S): Photo |
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