Firefighters make big gains in battle against Sunset fire, which forced evacuations in Hollywood

Los Angeles firefighters have made major gains in battling the Sunset fire, which had prompted mandatory evacuation orders in Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills late Wednesday.

“It’s a miracle no homes burned here,” a firefighter told The Times. Hours earlier, the flames had approached the mansions that line North Curson Avenue. By 10:30 p.m., the flames were barely visible on the distant hillside.

“These are really nice houses up here,” one firefighter said to another as they watched a helicopter fly by to drop water. Firefighters at the scene said the fire had been 50 acres at its peak, and was now down to 42.3 – in retreat.

The fire briefly raised alarms throughout Hollywood. A mandatory evacuation order was issued around 5:30 p.m. for areas north of Hollywood Boulevard and south of Mulholland Drive, and east of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and west of the 101 Freeway.

The fire was reported at 2350 N. Solar Drive in Hollywood Hills.

The evacuation included iconic locations such as the TCL Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, the Dolby Theater and Ovation Hollywood, the shopping mall in Hollywood.

Earlier Wednesday, David Potts, 66, stood on his front porch just a few hundred yards from the active fire, a fire truck parked directly across from him.

Just up the hill, the crackle of flames punctuated the low hum of engines and flowing water. Every seven minutes or so, another helicopter came by, dropping water that sprinkled over the neighborhood. He stopped to see if the water had extinguished a burning tree he could see from his perch.

His home of 11 years is next to Runyon Canyon. Around 4:30 p.m., he saw a nearby fire on the news and stepped outside to a thick smell of smoke. He could see the flames just a few hundred meters up the hill, with a property between him and the fire.

When the mandatory evacuation notice came soon after, his wife, daughter and son-in-law quickly packed and left.

It took them two hours in the chaos to drive to Glendale, but David stayed and got his hose out.

“A friend lost his house this morning in Altadena and I figured I’d stay until the last minute,” he said.

He packed his truck with the essentials and began spraying his house and yard.

For a while no help came. “Just as I was about to throw in the towel, two helicopters came,” he said. They dropped water and he saw a white cloud of steam sending embers flying everywhere.

He went on to say, “I could see progress from the helicopters.”

Potts knows his neighbors well, he said, and everyone left but him. It occurred to him to text them as he tried to find a mask, get his ladder, and constantly spray everything he could reach.

Later Wednesday, at the foot of Curson Avenue — a winding street that climbs from Franklin Boulevard into the hills next to Runyon Canyon — about 50 people lined the police line, some wearing masks and most with smartphones to catch the firefight. At one point the hillside was slightly glowing.

Firefighters and residents alike credited the effective waterfall for containing the fire. The nearby Hollywood Reservoir allowed for frequent trips, a firefighter said. By 10:30 pm the water drops were happening about every 10 minutes. A Times reporter could feel the water rain from the water droplets as the last remnants of fire could be seen from his location.

Up the hill, some firefighters stood and woke, while others walked hundreds of feet above with chainsaws and garden tools, cutting a fire line near the top of Runyon Canyon. Their flashlights swung from left to right as about a dozen men walked single file across the hilltop.

Most of the mandatory evacuation orders for the area were lifted with the exception of a few city blocks affecting areas north of Franklin Avenue, west of Camino Palmero Street and east of Sierra Bonita Avenue. Firefighters wanted the area to remain under evacuation orders to ensure the vegetation in the area does not flare up.

Citing improved conditions on the ground, the Los Angeles Fire Department is expected to lift all evacuation orders for the fire by 8 p.m. 7:30 Thursday. Firefighters will remain in the area and the LAFD advises residents to “use caution when returning to your home.”