5 Freeway brush fire brings traffic to standstill north of LA NBC 7 San Diego [Video]

A fire that apparently started after a crash spread to brush and brought traffic to a standstill on the 5 Freeway Friday north of Los Angeles.

Firefighters responded just before 11 a.m. to a report of a fire burning next to an overturned big rig and construction excavator near Pyramid Lake. The truck driver suffered minor injuries.

The Moto Fire spread to brush on the side of the freeway and spread to about 20 acres. At least one water-dropping helicopter responded to the scene.

Several northbound lanes on the 5 Freeway south of Vista del Lago were closed. Traffic was backed up for miles by midday.

“Crews are making progress with hoselays on the perimeter of the fire,” Angeles National Forest said in a post on X. “Challenges are heavy brush, short range spot fire and terrain.”

Details about the cause of the fire were not immediately available.