Tonner wildfire map: Worst hit areas and how the blaze spread across the Tonner Canyon

Tonner Fire near 57 Freeway grows rapidly, fueled by vegetation and steep terrain; no injuries reported.

On Thursday afternoon, a fast-moving wildfire erupted near the 57 Freeway and Timber Canyon in Brea. Now named the Tonner Fire, the blaze quickly grew in size, fueled by light vegetation and steep terrain, as emergency crews rushed to prevent it from reaching homes and nearby critical infrastructure.

Fast-moving Tonner Fire ignites in Brea, threatening nearby communities and prompting emergency response. (Pixaby)

The fire broke out just off the northbound 57 Freeway, just south of Tonner Canyon Road, right near the border of Los Angeles and Orange counties. Within hours, it had scorched 20 acres of rugged, undeveloped land in Tonner Canyon, approximately a 5,700-acre area that runs between Diamond Bar and Brea.

“New start in Brea at the 57 and Timber Canyon. This will be known as the #TonnerFire The fire is approx 1/2 acre in light flashy fuels, topography driven with no structures threatened at this time,” a local scanner posted on X (formerly Twitter), cited by HT.com.

While no injuries have been reported, the fire briefly threatened nearby communities, including Olinda Village and Diamond Bar’s County Estates.

Firefighters responded rapidly to contain the Tonner Fire

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) was joined by Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) and Cal Fire, pooling a total of 28 firefighting units, including OCFA Copter 2 and Helitanker 47, to battle the flames from both ground and air.

Notably, much of the land in Tonner Canyon is owned by the City of Industry. The area’s wildfire history includes a 16-acre blaze in 2019 and the infamous 2008 Freeway Complex Fire, which burned thousands of acres and led to enhanced wildfire training drills like the SOLAR exercise.

Tonner wildfire: Worst-hit areas

Meanwhile, wildfire smoke continues to be a growing concern across North America. Databases.com details massive blazes in Canada’s Alberta and Saskatchewan regions have sent smoke sweeping eastward across the Canadian Prairies and into Ontario, and even parts of the Midwest and Ohio Valley in the U.S.

Closer to home, the Madre Fire in California’s Central Valley is producing thick smoke, with visible plumes extending as far south as the Channel Islands.

Officials warn that some light to moderate smoke may reach the Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas.