By Brian Hews
More than 300 firefighters have converged on the Williams Wildfire in the San Gabriel Canyon at the East Fork Area as of 11 p.m. Saturday and officials report that only 5% of the blaze has been contained.
Incident Commander Loring Buckwald said the cause of the fire has not been determined and that it is “under investigation.”
“The terrain in the immediate area is classified as being very steep,” said Buckwald.
The blaze began Saturday afternoon half-way between Camp Williams and the Shooting Range along East Fork Road in San Gabriel Canyon, North of Azusa about 3 1/2 miles east of Highway 39.
Fire officials said that San Gabriel Canyon will be close on Labor Day.
So far nine air tankers have been used on the blaze and a mixture of Federal, State and Local resources have been activated.
Also, four helicopters. 20 engines, one bulldozer. 12 hand crews have been at the scene.
Authorities have also reported that no structures have been threatened and evacuations of the entire San Gabriel Canyon, including disbursed recreation areas along Highway 39 including Crystal Lake, East and West Fork, OHV Area, Camp Williams and
Oaks picnic area.
Approximate 10,000 to 12,000 visitors normally are in that area during holiday weekends similar to this weekend’s Labor Day holiday.
