Los Angeles Zoo evacuates some animals as fire burns on nearby hillside

The zoo staff evacuated bird show animals and some of the smaller primate species, the zoo said in a statement posted on its webpage.

"We turned on our sprinkler systems, and our Ground Maintenance staff began hosing the hillside by hand," the statement said. "It does not appear that the smoke is causing any issues for the animals but on-site staff is monitoring the conditions."

Smoke from a wildfire rises over the Los Angeles Zoo on Friday.

The zoo was closed to the public on Friday. Earlier in the day, the zoo said it was awaiting guidance from the Los Angeles Fire Department on whether to open.

The fire department said the fire in Griffith Park was holding at 30 acres in heavy brush on steep and difficult-to-navigate terrain. No structures had burned and nobody was injured.

Earlier Friday, the fire was estimated to cover only 2-3 acres.

The 133-acre Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is home to more than 1,400 animals, including mammals, birds and amphibians, representing 270 species, according to the zoo website. The gardens have about 7,000 plants from more than 800 plant species.

CNN's Stella Chan contributed to this report.

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