Twin fires burn more than 2,000 acres and trigger evacuations in San Gabriel Valley

The two brush fires broke out in Azusa and Duarte amid a blistering heat wave and forced evacuations of homes in the area.  Azusa police issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents who live in the community of Mountain Cove.

Highway 39 was closed to traffic at the bottom of the canyon, and Azusa police also closed Encanto Parkway along the city’s border with Duarte.

Flames reached several electric transmission lines in the Duarte area, but there didn’t appear to be any immediate power disruption.