By Karyn Chenoweth Oct 24, 2007, 2:16 GMT
Local NBC 4 affiliate in Los Angeles is reporting that firefighters battling blazes in the Santa Clarita Valley cleared brush and beat back flames Tuesday afternoon, preventing the Meadow Ridge Incident from crossing the 5 Interstate Freeway.
A helicopter drops water on one of two wildfires near Castaic, California, USA, 23 October 2007. Firestorms burned across southern California on 23 October for the third straight day as US President George W. Bush declared a state of emergency and 500,000 residents of the region fled for their lives. EPA/BRANIMIR KVARTUC
The 50-acre fire was between two major wildfires -- the Buckweed and Ranch fires.
"This fire could have cut off Interstate 5," said Steve Martin of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. "We might have gotten lucky. This was an area that we've anticipated would go up for years. Luckily, with a quick attack, we were able to stop it."
In addition to the freeway, Martin said a vital Metrolink tunnel is in the area.
Buckweed Fire
The Buckweed Fire, near Mint Canyon Road at Sierra Highway, was at more than 37,000 acres Monday. Fire officials said it was at 27-percent containment.
NBC 4 reports the fire started Oct. 21. It is burning toward Magic Mountain. At least 1,200 fire personnel were at the scene in addition to 288 law enforcement officers, said sheriff's Deputy Ed Hernandez of the county's Office of Emergency Management.
Most schools in the area were closed Tuesday, including those in the the Castaic Union, Newhall, Saugus Union, Sulphur Springs and William S. Hart school districts. Also closed was the College of the Canyons.
Evacuation shelters remained open at Saugus and Golden Valley high schools.
A total of 32 structures -- including 15 homes and 17 outbuildings -- were reported destroyed by county officials
A total of about 15,000 residents were evacuated at some point, but some were allowed to return home Monday. To enter the area, they had to show proof of residency and agree to remain in their homes, according to Santa Clarita city officials.
No mandatory evacuations were in effect Tuesday, according to the Office of Emergency Management.
Among the structures destroyed Sunday was the Santa Clara/Mojave Rivers Ranger District Office in the Angeles National Forest at 30800 Bouquet Canyon Road, said Kathy Peterson of the U.S. Forest Service.
A series of road closures remained in effect, primarily along Bouquet Canyon Road, Sierra Highway and Whites Canyon.
The three major fires -- the Ranch, the Buckweed and the Magic fires -- are projected to merge by Wednesday into a more than 80,000-acre fire, according to Roger Richcreek of the Angeles National Forest.
Ranch Fire
NBC 4 reports that a 52,518-acre wildfire near Castaic that destroyed seven structures and 14 boats in a storage area was about 10 percent contained Tuesday, a county fire official said.
The Ranch Fire is expected to be contained, or fully surrounded, by Oct. 31, county fire officials said at a morning briefing in Santa Clarita.
The fire, which started about 9:45 p.m. Saturday about 8 miles northwest of Castaic near Townsend Peak, was burning in sparsely populated area. More than 750 firefighters are assigned to the blaze.
Three homes and four outbuildings have been destroyed. No injuries were reported.
All fires would merge as they burned in a westerly direction toward Piru and Fillmore in Ventura County.
The reason for the fires merging is "topography and fuels. There's nothing to keep them from burning together. It also depends on weather mostly. The humidity is expected to stay in the single digits for the next day," Richcreek said.
What might help is that the winds are supposed to die down in the next day or so.
Ed Gililland of the U.S. Forest Service said the cause of the fire was under investigation. No injuries were reported. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Halsey Canyon, Val Verde, Oak Springs and parts of Piru, Gililland said.
Magic Fire
NBC 4 reports that the Magic Fire near Stevenson Ranch was at 1,500 acres Tuesday. A fire department spokesman said containment was at 40 percent.
Crews said there is open land in front of the fire. No homes or structures are in immediate danger.
Fire officials said the blaze was started by a construction crew.
"The cause has been determined as accidental, caused by construction workers welding," said Deputy Ed Hernandez of the county Office of Emergency Management.
State Route 126 was closed in the area, as was Old Highway 99 at Templin Highway.
About 650 firefighters were assigned to battle the flames, which were being fanned by winds of 25 to 45 mph. A mobile home and an outbuilding were destroyed, but flames were advancing on other structures in the area.
Inmates at the Pitchess Detention Center-South Facility at 29300 The Old Road were transported to the North County Correctional Facility as a precautionary measure, said Dana Camarillo of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management.
Chaparral in the area is about 40 years old, according to Kathy Peterson of the U.S. Forest Service said
Several homes and ranches have been evacuated, and an evacuation center was set up at the Veterans Memorial Building, at 511 S. Second St., Fillmore, Gililland said.
Arrangements can be made to house livestock at the Ventura County Fairgrounds by calling 866-387-8911. Small animals can be housed at the Camarillo Animal Shelter, which can be reached at 805-388-4343, ext. 9.
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