Monrovia Fire Chief: ‘Fire Season Has Begun’

Monrovia Fire Chief Chris Donovan said the brush fire that burned up to 175 acres over the weekend was nearly contained, with firefighters in “clean up mode” and monitoring areas for hotspots.

But during a Monday briefing, Donovan urged residents to prepare for an “active fire season” when Monrovia’s hillside areas will be vulnerable to brush fires like the one that broke out over the weekend.

Donovan said the fire was ignited by a gardener clearing brush behind a home on Madison Avenue. Because much of the dry brush hadn’t been burned in 54 years, the blaze spread rapidly through the foothills, he said.

“With low rainfall throughout the winter time, that leads to fuel moistures that are at record lows,” said Donovan. “In many areas in the foothills, fuel density is very high.”

Donovan said residents are urged to remove brush from 30 feet to 175 feet from their homes.