October 17, 2017 - 6:53 PM
ARCADIA, Calif. - The Latest on a wildfire burning in mountains near Los Angeles (all times local):
6:45 p.m.
Firefighters have managed to partially corral a wildfire near Los Angeles that forced the evacuation of an historic observatory.
The blaze on Mount Wilson was 25 per cent contained as of Tuesday night. Several hundred firefighters planned to work through the night battling the fire, which broke out before dawn.
Mount Wilson Observatory near the mountain peak was evacuated earlier in the day. The 30-acre blaze also threatened TV broadcast and other communications towers northeast of Los Angeles.
No homes are in immediate danger.
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5:55 a.m.
Crews with air support are racing to protect a historic observatory and communications towers from a growing brush fire on Mount Wilson northeast of Los Angeles.
Robert Diaz of the Los Angeles County Fire Department says flames that broke out just before 4 a.m. Tuesday are threatening the observatory near the 5,710 foot (1,740 metre) peak. Officials say the observatory has been evacuated and the fire is not burning near foothill residences.
Firefighters getting help from water-dropping aircraft are also aided by light morning winds. The glow of flames is seen across parts of Los Angeles and surrounding valleys.
The blaze was initially estimated at around 5 acres, but it steadily expanded as flames chewed through dry brush.
Mount Wilson houses critical broadcast and communications antennas for the region.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017