Remnants of a brush fire continued burning in a Montebello riverbed on Monday morning, the day after the blaze prompted road closures and evacuations.
The so-called Lincoln Fire has burned 225 acres and was 60 percent contained, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said after firefighters attended a 7 a.m. briefing at the scene.
A 45-year-old man was arrested Sunday in connection with the incident, said Lt. Michael Bergman of the Montebello Police Department.
Arturo Aguilar, a transient, was taken into custody on suspicion of setting an illegal and negligent fire, the lieutenant said. Aguilar was being held on $35,000 bail.
Flames erupted about 1:15 p.m. near the Rio Hondo River, in the area of the Whittier Narrows Reservoir.
Multiple fire agencies responded to the scene, supported by water-dropping helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
The Legg Lake area was evacuated, as was a nearby shooting range and the Whittier Narrows Recreational Area, where 12 people were escorted to safety by deputies, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
Early Monday morning, flames were still active amid downed power lines near Durfee Avenue and San Gabriel Boulevard.
“The stuff that is burning, we are keeping an eye on it. We have units on scene,” said Battalion Chief Richard Zuniga of the Montebello Fire Department. Referring to the fallen electrical poles, he said, “It’s unsafe to work in those conditions at this time.”
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