Amid Red Flag Conditions, Brush Fire Races Through Canyon Country

Amid Red Flag Conditions, Brush Fire Races Through Canyon Country

by Contributing Editor

A wind-driven wildfire raced through Canyon Country Thursday, scorching 3,950 acres, damaging an unknown number of structures and threatening at least 10,000 more, prompting evacuations of thousands of residents and the cancellation of classes Friday at several schools and two colleges.

The fire was reported about 1:40 p.m. near the 31600 block of Tick Canyon Road, earning it the moniker Tick Fire, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Initially reported at 200 acres, the blaze rapidly grew to more than 850 acres in less than an hour. By early evening, the fire had scorched more than 3,000 acres, but fire officials said they were making “good progress” on the fire.

Multiple structures could be seen burning to the ground as the wind carried flames ahead of the main blaze. The fire was 5% contained, the LACFD said about 9 p.m.

“The firefight will continue throughout the night,” LACFD Chief Daryl Osby said at an evening news conference. “We’ve had sustained 20 mph winds with 30 to 40 mph gusts. We’re expecting stronger winds tonight through tomorrow morning.”

More than 500 firefighters and four Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopters were battling the fire.

“Do not be lulled that you may not see open flames,” Osby said. “Because there are plenty of hot spots out in the incident, we’ll have firefighters out all night trying to work on those hot spots and try to work on increasing our containment line.

Evacuation orders were issued for all residents north of the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, east of Whites/Plum Canyon roads, south of Vasquez Canyon Road and west of Agua Dolce. Evacuations were ordered south of the Antelope Valley Freeway east of Sand Canyon, north of Placerita Canyon and west of Robinson Ranch Golf Course.

The orders were affecting an estimated 50,000 residents, according to the county fire department.

“As we do the evacuation orders, know that (deputies) are behind all those neighborhoods that are evacuated,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. “There are deputies standing vigil all night long, all day, until (the neighborhoods) are repopulated.”

Evacuation centers were set up at College of the Canyons in Valencia, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, and the Newhall Community Center, 22421 Market St.

College of the Canyons canceled all classes at its Valencia and Canyon Country campuses Thursday, and announced the campuses would remain closed Friday. Classes were also canceled Friday for all schools in the Hart, Newhall and Saugus school districts.

The Los Angeles Unified School District announced Thursday night campuses in the San Fernando Valley were closed Friday due to air quality and safety concerns from the Tick Fire and other blazes burning in the area.

Community Elementary, Roscomare Road Elementary, Topanga Elementary Charter, Valley View Elementary, Wonderland Avenue Elementary and Elementary Day School will also be closed. All athletic activities at the affected schools will also be canceled or postponed, according to the LAUSD.

Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills cancelled all classes scheduled for Friday due to air quality, safety and transportation concerns caused by brush fires burning in the area.

School officials will monitor conditions and determine if evening events, including the homecoming football game, will take place. Updates for those events will be provided via phone, email and official social media accounts, the school said.

An evacuation center for large animals at Pierce College, 6201 Winnetka Ave. in Woodland Hills, closed at 9 p.m. Large and small animals were being handled at the Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 N. Charlie Canyon Road, sheriff’s officials said.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries.

A Los Angeles County fire Sikorsky water-dropping helicopter was struck by a bird and sustained a damaged windshield. The chopper was able to land safely and its windshield was being repaired, Osby said.

National Weather Service forecasters said winds were gusting at 45 to 55 mph in the area of the fire.

Smoke from the Tick Fire prompted the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue an unhealthy air quality advisory for residents in portions of northwest coastal Los Angeles County, the east and west San Fernando Valley, the Santa Clarita Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains. The advisory was in effect through Friday.

“It is difficult to tell where smoke, ash or soot from a fire will go, or how winds will affect the level of these particles in the air, so we ask everyone to remember that smoke and ash can be harmful to health, even for people who are healthy,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, health officer for Los Angeles County.

“If you can see smoke, soot, or ash, or you can smell smoke, pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health.”

Residents, particularly those with sensitivity to air quality, were asked to avoid outdoor activity and remain indoors as much as possible. It was also recommended that pets be brought inside, particularly at night.

Schools and recreational programs in smoke-impacted areas were advised to suspend games and practices until conditions improve, Davis said.

Meanwhile, another brush fire erupted several miles to the west along the Golden State (5) Freeway in the Lake Hughes area. That fire scored about five to seven acres and burned through the roof of at least one home.

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the area, wrote on her Twitter page late Thursday afternoon that six homes had been lost in the Castaic area as a result of the blazes, but more homes could be seen burning Thursday evening in aerial TV news footage.

While crews were battling those two blazes, a third fire broke out in the Del Valle area west of the Golden State Freeway. According to county fire officials, that blaze damaged a vehicle and a mobile home, along with about one acre of brush.

The series of fires erupted amid red flag conditions prompted by Santa Ana winds and single-digit humidity. The red flag warning is scheduled to remain in place until Friday night.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Thursday night that the state has been awarded a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help cover costs of efforts to fight the Tick Fire. The grant allows agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75% reimbursement of eligible firefighting costs.

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All credit goes to Contributing Editor
Originally published on https://mynewsla.com