Templin Highway and Northlake Hills Elementary School have reopened for residential traffic. But the Route Fire has reached five thousand acres and the Los Angeles County Fire Department says it is 27% contained. It has also closed Castaic Lake.
Templin Highway and Northlake Hills Elementary have reopened for residential traffic
Templin Highway and Northlake Hills Elementary have reopened for residential traffic after a Route Fire in Santa Clarita swept through the area Wednesday afternoon. The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station evacuated students and staff from the schools at 5 p.m. and said all students and staff are safe.
The Route Fire broke out Wednesday at a location near Lake Hughes Road. Firefighters have been working hard to control the flames and smoke, with flames erupting on the northbound and southbound sides of the freeway. The Los Angeles County Fire Department reports that containment of the blaze is at 12%.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued a smoke advisory until Thursday. The fire has burned across the Old Ridge Route at a location called the Callahan Line Change. The fire has impacted 550 structures, with at least two structures destroyed and others threatened.
Los Angeles County Fire Department reports 7 injuries
Earlier this week, the Los Angeles County Fire Department announced that the Route Fire was burning on the northbound 5 Freeway in Castaic. The fire was first reported around noon on Wednesday. As of Thursday evening, the fire had burned 5,208 acres. The South Coast Air Quality Management District had issued a smoke advisory.
According to the California Department of Transportation, there are two lanes of travel on both sides of the freeway. The fire has been burning on the northbound side near Lake Hughes Road, causing a lane to be closed. It was a significant impact on the freeway, as the lane closures impacted the flow of traffic.
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station assisted with the evacuation of Northlake Elementary School. Only 10 students were on campus on Wednesday. However, Superintendent Steve Doyle hopes to reopen the school after Labor Day weekend.
Los Angeles County Fire Department says it is 27% contained
Despite the fact that the Route Fire in Santa Clarita is 27% contained, it’s still a very scary situation. A fire that started at noon Wednesday has burned over 4,600 acres, destroyed two buildings, and forced hundreds of people to flee. It has also left eight firefighters injured, with five sent to hospitals.
In addition to the fire, several other fires are burning in California, requiring officials to split resources. The Thomas Fire, which grew overnight and reached a 5% containment level, had threatened 10,000 structures by Thursday morning.
The fire, which started near Interstate 5 in Castaic, roared through dry hillsides and jumped the 5 Freeway. It also burned through homes along Ridge Route Road and Upper Ridge Route Road. Its smoke is visible in Orange County.
Los Angeles County Fire Department says it is 5,208 acres in size and 12 percent containment
Despite being stymied by firefighting crews, the route fire in Santa Clarita is a blaze to be reckoned with. With winds averaging around 13 to 17 mph, the heat is on. It has spread over thousands of acres and is still a work in progress. The first and fourth lanes of the southbound 5 Freeway are still blocked from Templin Highway to the area north of Lake Hughes Road. The fire has not yet claimed any lives, but fire crews are out in force.
The Route Fire is by no means a slouch in the firefighting department, with more than 250 firefighters battling the flames. The biggest question mark is when and how long it will take to extinguish the flames. This is a particularly stout challenge given the drought conditions in the area. The heat is also a contributing factor.
Castaic Lake will be closed due to the Route Fire
Hundreds of firefighters are battling a large wildfire near Castaic, California, that has spread across thousands of acres of land. Authorities are unsure when the fire will be extinguished, but crews are expected to continue to monitor the fire.
The Route Fire started Wednesday afternoon, close to the 5 Freeway. The fire has burned over 4,600 acres. There are about 200 homes that are still under mandatory evacuation orders. The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station is working with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and CHP Newhall to assist residents with evacuations.
At least seven firefighters have been injured by the heat. The fire has not yet destroyed any structures, but several homes in the area have already been scorched down to the ground.
The fire is expected to spread rapidly, especially late at night. A heat wave in Southern California may create ideal conditions for the fire to grow.
