LOS FELIZ— A brush fire burned approximately six acres near Griffith Observatory before The Los Angeles Fire Department contained the blaze, on Tuesday, May 17. A male “person of interest” has been arrested, LAPD Officer Hernandez confirmed to Canyon News.
According to an LAFD alert, at around 2:43 p.m. on Tuesday, firefighters “responded by ground and air to an approximately 50’ X 100’ area of brush on fire,” south of Griffith Observatory near the Boy Scout Trail. By 3:25 p.m, the fire grew across 4 acres and the response team changed its status to a “Major Emergency” brush fire.
Griffith Observatory was evacuated and Park Rangers assisted in keeping hikers from entering the surrounding hiking trails.
By 3:55 p.m, the brush fire was “contained.” Six acres had burned and 92 firefighters were on the scene battling to contain the remaining brush fire.
No homes were evacuated. No injuries were reported.
A “person of interest” who was “in the general area of the incident” was detained for questioning, LAFD released in a statement.
LAPD Officer Hernandez confirmed it was a male “person of interest” but had no further information about the cause of the fire, or if the male was considered a suspect.
The cause of the fire is under active investigation by LAPD and LAFD’s Arson Investigators.
