Bobcat Fire in Angeles National Forest Reaches 10,300 Acres, 0% Contained

[Updated] The Bobcat Fire burning in the Angeles National Forest north of the San Gabriel Valley’s foothill communities nearly doubled in size to 8,553 acres overnight and was 0% contained Tuesday as officials in Pasadena carefully monitored the fire’s behavior, as well as expected Santa Ana wind conditions, in case the wildfire makes a shift in that direction.

The fire ignited shortly after noon Sunday at the east end of the Cogswell Reservoir, according to U.S. Forest Service officials.

It prompted the evacuation of staff from the Mt. Wilson Observatory, as well as visitors from Big Santa Anita Canyon, San Gabriel Canyon and Monrovia Canyon, officials said.

“The winds anticipated later today will play a major factor in the fire behavior and potential spread into the foothill communities,” Pasadena city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.

“We will keep our residents updated and encourage them to follow the city on social media, sign up for emergency notifications and have a plan in place in case evacuations for this or other disasters are required,” she said.

Residents can sign up for the city’s emergency notification system online at https://member.everbridge.net/892807736727492/login. Alerts can be sent by both text and voice messages.

The flames were working their way though “extremely steep terrain… burning actively north into the San Gabriel Wilderness, and south towards Mt. Bliss,” the U.S. Forest Service said in a written statement issued Tuesday. “Active fire behavior with spotting, torching and rapid rates of spread.”

“[The] priority is to contain the south end of the fire in anticipation of Santa Ana winds,” the statement said.

No evacuation orders had been issued in the foothill cities, although Monrovia issued an evacuation warning for residents at the north end of the city in case the fire threatens homes there, city officials said.

“The fire has continued to burn southward toward Monrovia at a slow rate,” Monrovia officials said in a written statement issued Tuesday morning. “ Around midnight, the marine layer arrived and helped slow the fire activity.

Eighty-five firefighters battled the flames on Tuesday, as a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning indicating high fire risk was roof was to take effect at noon and continue through 8 p.m. Wednesday.

A Wind Advisory was in effect 3 p.m. Wednesday, according to the NWS. Winds blowing northeast at 20 to 30 mph were anticipated for the region, with gusts of up to 50 mph possible.

Red Flag parking restrictions had not been enacted in Pasadena, but fire officials said the option remained a possibility.

About 85 firefighters were assigned to the fire.