Colby fire northeast of Los Angeles stops overnight; 5 homes lost

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A firefighter starts a backfire along San Gabriel Canyon Road in Azusa as the Colby fire burns through brush in January. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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A firefighter starts a backfire with a flare gun along San Gabriel Canyon Road in Azusa as the Colby fire burns through brush in January. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters hose down smoldering embers near a home on Pennsylvania Drive as fires continue to burn in Glendora. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters try to protect the main house as a fire burns a section of Singer Mansion on Kregmont Drive in Glendora. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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The Colby fire that broke out in Glendora, on the edge of the Angeles National Forest, exploded in size as dry brush, steep terrain and winds made for rough firefighting conditions. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Rita Abouchedid covers her face from heavy smoke as fire approaches her home on Kregmont Drive in Glendora. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Spectators watch as the Colby fire continues to burn on the edge of the Angeles National Forest in January. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Fire burns a section of Singer Mansion in Glendora as the Colby fire exploded in size Jan. 16. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Barbara Moser, right, hugs Rita Abouchedid, whose home was threatened by the fast-moving Colby fire in Glendora. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A statue of Jesus stands in the front yard as the Colby fire claims part of the Singer Mansion in Glendora. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters work to protect the main house as a fire burns a section of Singer Mansion in Glendora. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A large fire plume rises above the downtown skyline from the fast-growing Colby fire from the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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A woman looks at a brush fire that was reported at about 6 a.m. north of Glendora, a foothill community about 30 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times )

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Glendora resident Cathy Doherty waits to be evacuated in the 500 block of Viewcrest Drive in Glendora as the Colby fire continues to burn. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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A brush fire broke out in January in the Angeles National Forest near Glendora. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A helicopter flies near the Colby fire burning in the Angeles National Forest. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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The Colby fire was reported at about 6 a.m. north of Glendora, a foothill community about 30 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A water-dropping helicopter flies over the Colby fire burning in the Angeles National Forest. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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Smoke from the Colby fire in Glendora casts an eerie red glow in front of the rising sun in San Gabriel. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A police cruiser drives down Viewcrest Drive in Glendora urging residents to evacuate as the Colby fire burns in the Angeles National Forest. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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A large plume from the fast-growing Colby fire can be seen from as far away as Beverly Hills. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

By Ari Bloomekatz

Jan. 17, 2014 7:51 AM PT

The Colby fire that has been burning above Glendora since Thursday morning did not increase in size overnight as crews took advantage of calmer winds to reinforce containment lines, officials reported Friday.

More than 1,000 firefighters are now battling the fire, which remains 30% contained after scorching 1,709 acres, officials said. The main goal for Friday was to increase containment of the blaze, which officials said was sparked by an illegal campfire.

PHOTOS: Colby fire rages near Glendora

“The efforts last night were to strengthen the 30% containment line that was established earlier in the afternoon and to protect the fire from jumping Highway 39,” Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Keith Mora said. “Overall, we had much success with the weather giving us the opportunity to fight aggressively and make a stand.”

In addition to holding containment overnight, crews had to contend with a flare-up around 1 a.m. near Highway 39, although it never breached containment lines, officials said.

The fire broke out along Glendora Mountain Road by the Colby truck trail and was initially fueled by strong Santa Ana winds. But officials said the winds have died down a bit, which has aided their firefighting efforts.

The fire has destroyed five homes and several other structures, and forced several evacuations, one of which remained in effect for an Azusa neighborhood.

On Thursday, three men were arrested in connection with starting the fire. The men, all in their early 20s, were in the area where the Colby trail meets Glendora Mountain Road when they started a campfire, Glendora Police Chief Tim Staab said.

He said the area was not a designated camping spot and that the men tossed paper onto the fire and a gust of wind “just blew embers all over the place.”

Despite the assistance of calmer winds Friday, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service said temperatures in the fire area may climb above 80 degrees, and humidity will likely be between 6% and 10%.

Mora said nine helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft were helping to douse the flames. Bulldozers were also reinforcing and cutting containment lines around the blaze.

At a news conference Friday morning, officials asked the public to remember that conditions are still extremely dry and that fire danger remains high.

“The conditions are still extreme out there,” said Angeles National Forest Supervisor Tom Contreras.

Twitter: @aribloomekatz | Facebook

ari.bloomekatz@latimes.com