Domestic pets and farm animals were welcomed at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
A holding area for household pets also was set up at the San Fernando High School evacuation center, where the majority who fled the Marek fire took shelter.
County animal shelters also filled up as families fled with dogs, cats, birds, snakes and hamsters. At Chatsworth High School, one couple clutched 2-month-old Doberman pinscher puppies as they awaited word on the path of the blaze above Topanga Canyon Boulevard.
The fires were also feared to pose a threat to California condor nests on the canyon crags, said Angeles National Forest spokesman Stanton Florea. The condor, beneficiary of the most expensive species rescue ever undertaken, remains one of the world's rarest bird species.
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ann.simmons@latimes.com
gale.holland@latimes.com
Times staff writers Carol J. Williams, Rong-Gong Lin II and Francisco Vara-Orta contributed to this report.
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
In the air we share
Wildfire doesn't just burn homes, it spreads dangerous air pollution far and wide, potentially harming people who live miles away from the blaze.
Although precise measurements are hard to determine, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a warning Monday that air in the San Fernando Valley and portions of the San Gabriel Mountains may reach unhealthy levels.
The agency advised that with strong Santa Ana winds, fine particulates and dust, which aggravate asthma and other conditions, could reach as far as the San Bernardino Valley, southwest Riverside County, Orange County, the South Bay-Long Beach area and the Santa Monica-Malibu area.
The AQMD said that in areas affected by smoke or windblown dust, "everyone should avoid any vigorous outdoor or indoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children, should remain indoors."
Affected residents should keep windows and doors closed unless it is extremely hot. If it is, seek alternate shelter. Run your air conditioners, but keep the fresh air intake closed, the agency advised.
Check for advisories at www.aqmd.gov or call (800) 288-7664.
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On latimes.com
More coverage
More on the Southern California brush fires is available on latimes.com, including:
* A comprehensive list of closed roads, freeways, schools and neighborhoods.
* Updates on the fires in Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.
* A dispatch from Porter Ranch, where residents decided to take a stand.
* A dispatch from Lake View Terrace, where nervous residents awaited word on their homes.
* Photo galleries, video, interactive graphics and maps and more.
latimes.com/california.
