Tick fire jumps 14 Freeway in Santa Clarita Valley, prompting new evacuations

Tick fire jumps 14 Freeway in Santa Clarita Valley, prompting new evacuations

by Alma Fausto

The nearly 4,000-acre Tick fire continues to rage in Canyon Country in northern Los Angeles County and jumped the 14 Freeway early Friday morning – prompting a new round of evacuations as powerful, dry winds moved swept the area destroying and damaging structures.

The 14 Freeway was shut down at about 3 a.m. in both directions. northbound at Golden Valley Road and southbound at Escondido Canyon Road.

On top of the estimated 50,000 residents who were already under evacuation orders on Thursday, more were added Friday when all residents of the Sand Canyon Road area from the 14 Freeway to Placerita Canyon Road in Santa Clarita were also put under evacuation orders.

So was the stretch east of Rolling Hills Avenue and north of Diver Street in Canyon County, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The Fair Oaks area south of the Antelope Valley Freeway in Canyon Country remained under a voluntary evacuation order, authorities said.

Early Friday morning, the blaze was reported as only 5 percent contained after chewing through roughly 3,950 acres, with 500 firefighters and five helicopters working to quell the flames.

At least six structures had been destroyed, with damaged sustained to an unknown numbers of others.

An estimated 10,000 structures, authorities said, are threatened.

The fire was first reported Thursday afternoon near the 31600 block of Tick Canyon Road, earning it the moniker of the Tick fire and quickly swelled.

So far, no injuries have been reported.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

All credit goes to Alma Fausto
Originally published on https://www.dailynews.com