LOS ANGELES �� Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared a local emergency Sunday and asked Gov. Jerry Brown to do the same as firefighters continued to battle a large blaze in the Verdugo Mountains that destroyed three homes, closed a freeway and forced hundreds to leave their homes.
Firefighters hoped for some relief overnight from a heat wave that has gripped much of the state for days. Temperatures were expected to fall somewhat Sunday, with a chance of some showers and lightning from the remains of Tropical Storm Linda. But high heat and humidity were still expected, the National Weather Service said.
The La Tuna fire was believed to be one of the largest in L.A. city history in terms of acreage, officials said. The blaze destroyed three homes in Tujunga. Two firefighters were taken to hospitals for dehydration, the L.A. Fire Department said.
The fire was only 10 percent contained late Saturday. Evacuations were temporarily lifted Saturday night in Burbank. But officials said a flare-up caused them to issue new evacuation orders in the Burbank Estates and Castleman Lane areas. Evacuation orders remain in effect in Glendale and Los Angeles.
The fir broke out Friday, with shifting winds sending flames in several directions. Fire crews confronted the same erratic conditions Saturday, Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said.
"Our biggest concern is the wind and weather," Terrazas said. "The erratic weather is our No. 1 challenge. If there's no wind, this is a relatively easy fire to put out. But when the wind changes, it changes our priorities because other properties become at risk."
