The city closed the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park last week due to extreme fire danger as two fires burned in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The fires, one off highway 39 in Azusa and the other in the foothills above Duarte, started around noon on Monday and quickly spread.

As of mid-week the fires had scorched over 5000 acres and forced the evacuation of dozens of homes in the two communities.

Combined, the fires have burned 5,235 acres, with containment at 15 percent as of press time. According to reports, nearly 1,000 fire department personnel were working to battle the blaze. As many as 55 engines, 13 helicopters and one fixed-wing aircraft have been utilized, according to the US Forest Service.