The Peak Fire was first reported around 1:09 to 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2026, in the area of North San Gabriel Canyon Road and North Ranch Road in Azusa, a city in the San Gabriel Valley east of downtown Los Angeles, according to ABC7 Los Angeles and Fox 11 Los Angeles (KTTV).
Within roughly half an hour the fire had burned about 15 acres, according to ABC7. Fox 11, citing the Los Angeles County Fire Department, reported the fire had grown to about 20 acres by 1:50 p.m.; NBC Los Angeles separately put the fire's size at about 15 acres, without specifying a time. Water-dropping aircraft and helicopters were sent to protect structures north of San Gabriel Canyon Road, in the area of Foxtail and Poppyglen courts, according to Fox 11.
Evacuation Orders and Warnings
Los Angeles County Fire issued a mandatory evacuation order for zone AZU-MC01, requiring residents there to leave immediately, ABC7 and Fox 11 reported. Evacuation warnings — meaning residents should be prepared to leave — were issued for zones AZU-ABC01, AZU-CYN01-A, AZU-NOB01, AZU-QRY01, LAC-E168 and LAC-E170.
NBC Los Angeles reported that an evacuation center was opened at Memorial Park Recreation Center, 340 North Orange Place in Azusa, for residents displaced by the order. The outlet said Los Angeles city and county fire departments, the county's Emergency Operations Center and Joint Information Center, and Southern California Edison were coordinating the response.
Why the Fire Is Spreading Fast
The fire broke out while a Red Flag Warning was in effect across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, scheduled to run through 8 p.m. Saturday, ABC7 reported. A High Wind Warning covering the western Santa Monica Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains was active through Friday evening, with forecasters predicting northeast winds of 25 to 45 mph and gusts up to 70 mph at higher elevations. ABC7 said the strongest winds were expected on Friday.
Part of a Broader Wind-Driven Fire Day
The Peak Fire was one of several brush fires reported across Los Angeles County on October 15 as Santa Ana winds picked up, Fox 11 reported. A separate blaze, the Tujunga Fire, broke out around 12:45 p.m. near 6341 West La Tuna Canyon Road, south of the 210 Freeway, and burned about one acre of medium-to-heavy brush. Fox 11 said no structures were threatened and no injuries were reported in that fire, and winds were pushing flames at a moderate rate.
Two Los Angeles County brush fires on October 15, 2026| Fire | Location | Size reported | Evacuations |
|---|
| Peak Fire | Azusa, near N. San Gabriel Canyon Rd. and N. Ranch Rd. | ~15–20 acres (figures vary by source) | Order: AZU-MC01; warnings for six other zones |
|---|
| Tujunga Fire | 6341 W. La Tuna Canyon Rd., south of the 210 Freeway | ~1 acre | None reported |
|---|
What Is Not Yet Known
None of the three outlets reviewed — ABC7, Fox 11 and NBC Los Angeles — reported a cause for the Peak Fire, nor any injuries or confirmed structure damage or destruction, as of their most recent updates on October 15. Containment percentages and a final acreage figure had not been released in the sources reviewed.
Fire officials had not announced by the time of these reports whether or when the evacuation order and warnings for the affected San Gabriel Canyon zones would be lifted.
Questions
- What is the Peak Fire and where is it burning?
- The Peak Fire is a brush fire that broke out around 1:09–1:15 p.m. on October 15, 2026, near North San Gabriel Canyon Road and North Ranch Road in Azusa, Los Angeles County, according to ABC7 Los Angeles and Fox 11 Los Angeles.
- How big is the Peak Fire?
- ABC7 reported the fire at about 15 acres roughly half an hour after it started. Fox 11, citing the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said it had grown to about 20 acres by 1:50 p.m. NBC Los Angeles separately put the size at about 15 acres.
- Which areas are under evacuation order or warning?
- Zone AZU-MC01 is under a mandatory evacuation order, while zones AZU-ABC01, AZU-CYN01-A, AZU-NOB01, AZU-QRY01, LAC-E168 and LAC-E170 are under evacuation warnings, according to ABC7 and Fox 11.
- What caused the Peak Fire, and were there injuries or structure damage?
- None of the sources reviewed — ABC7, Fox 11 or NBC Los Angeles — reported a cause, injuries, or confirmed structure losses as of their latest updates on October 15.
- Why are fires spreading quickly in Los Angeles County right now?
- A Red Flag Warning was in effect for Los Angeles and Ventura counties through 8 p.m. Saturday, with a High Wind Warning in mountain areas forecasting northeast winds of 25–45 mph and gusts up to 70 mph, according to ABC7.
This piece was prepared with artificial intelligence and passed an automated source check before publication. If you see an error, ask for a correction. Request a correction or reply · How we make this
