Wanna know one of my favorite things about L.A.? The fires.

A fire broke out in Griffith Park today above the Greek Theater and fire officials were trying to determine its size and source.

Large amounts of smoke were reported below the observatory about 1 p.m.

Authorities said the fire had burned 15 acres east of the Greek Theater near the Hollywood sign. Scores of firefighters from the L.A. city and county fire departments were fighting the blaze from the ground and air. No homes were threatened.

The view outside my office :

Normally there’s a hill there.

This one’s better than the one a couple of months ago that burned the neighboring hills, but not quite as good as the one from a year and a half ago that scorched the Burbank hills. And it can’t hold a candle to the wildfires from a few years ago that covered everything in Los Angeles with a thin layer of ash. That was an awesome fire.

UPDATE : For those worried about the fire, it’s mostly contained now, not threatening any homes, and…

Visitors at the zoo have been evacuated but zookeepers, and maintenance crews and public safety officers, as well as the zoo director, remain on the scene to keep watch over the animals and the premises, said spokesman Jason Jacobs.

“So far the animals are faring fine,” Jacobs said. “I haven’t heard any reports of anything going wrong.”