ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. (KABC) -- The Bridge Fire that began in the San Gabriel Canyon area has exploded in size to roughly 34,000 acres, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Tuesday. The fire raced toward Mount Baldy and Wrightwood throughout the day, prompting mandatory evacuation orders.
The wildfire was reported around 2:40 p.m. Sunday in the area near East Fork Road in San Gabriel Canyon. An evacuation order was issued for the East Fork communities of Camp Williams Resort, which includes a café, mobile home park and campground.
At the initial time of report, the fire was burning 75 acres, but grew to 820 acres by 7 a.m. Monday. By Tuesday morning, it had scorched 3,786 acres, growing to 4,178 acres by the afternoon, with no containment.
"Our biggest concern, obviously, is the community of Mount Baldy village, the Foothill communities from Claremont all the way to Azusa, and those residents that live in the East Fork," said John Miller with the U.S. Forest Service.
Mandatory evacuation orders were placed for the Mount Baldy and Wrightwood communities.
"We urge everyone who's under an evacuation order to leave now," said Marrone. Evacuation centers have been established at the L.A. County, San Bernardino County and Antelope Valley fairgrounds.
High winds and low humidity are aiding the spread of the fire, Cal Fire said. Firefighters are also hoping the upcoming cooler weather will slow the fire enough for them to gain the upper hand.
"We really are hoping those nighttime recoveries where the temps drop, the humidity goes up at night, is going to help us gain a stronger foothold on suppressing this fire," said Miller.
East Fork Road at Highway 39 was closed along with Glendora Mountain and Glendora Ridge roads. The California Highway Patrol also closed Highway 39 at the mouth of the canyon due to vehicle congestion. Mount Baldy Road was also closed at Shinn Road.
Forest visitors were being evacuated from the area, the Angeles National Forest announced on social media.
Air quality in the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire, due to the Bridge Fire and the nearby Line Fire, was labeled as "unhealthy." Residents were urged to stay indoors or wear a mask when outdoors.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.