Griffith Park Blaze Held to Less than 5 Acres

On Sunday, May 29, 2005 at 5:34 PM PDT, twenty-one Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, three LAFD Helicopters, one LAFD Brush Patrol, two LAFD Rescue Ambulances, one EMS District Captain, six LAFD Battalion Officer Command Teams and two Handcrews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, all under the direction of LAFD Assistant Chief Michael Fulmis responded to a Major Emergency Brush Fire east of the picnic areas adjacent to the Wilson-Harding Golf Complex in Griffith Park.

Guided by Park Rangers, The first Fire Companies arrived quickly to discover one-half acre of vegetation burning in rugged terrain and being fanned by light winds towards heavier brush.

Firefighters extended hose lines and carried hand tools up the steep hillsides to anchor the flames while the trio of Los Angeles Fire Department helicopters commenced a synchronized aerial assault with precise water drops at the head and flanks of the fire.

The synergy of these efforts confined the blaze to four and one-half acres of brush. Thanks to Firefighters efforts, the flames came no closer than one-quarter mile from the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and at no time threatened that facility.

No structures were in the path of the flames, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains categorized as “under active investigation”.