As winds continued gusting across much of the Southland, hundreds of firefighters continued efforts Friday to contain the 4,300-acre Tick Fire burning in Canyon Country and Santa Clarita, while tens of thousands of residents remained under evacuation orders.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the county Friday in response to the fire, freeing up state resources to assist in the firefighting effort. County Board of Supervisors chair Janice Hahn also issued a local emergency declaration.
As of mid-morning Friday, more than 600 firefighters were battling the blaze, which erupted early Thursday afternoon. As of midday Friday, the fire was 5% contained.
Six structures have been confirmed destroyed, although fire officials said that number will likely increase when damage-assessment teams finish a sweep through the area. More than 15,000 structures were considered to be threatened in the fire area.
Evacuation centers were opened at College of the Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia; and West Ranch High School, 26255 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita.
Evacuations of small animals were being handled at the Castaic Animal Care Center at 31044 N. Charlie Canyon Road in Castaic; and evacuations of large animals were being handled at Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, 2551 West Avenue H, Lancaster; Pierce College, 6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills; and at the Castaic Animal Care Center.
Mandatory evacuation orders were in effect within the following general boundaries:
— In Canyon Country: Vasquez Canyon Road and Bouquet Canyon Road on the north; Soledad Canyon Road on the south; Whites Canyon and Plum Canyon roads on the west; and Sierra Highway up to Davenport Road on the east.
— In the Sand Canyon area: areas on the east and west sides of Sand Canyon Road, down to Placerita Canyon Road; and areas near the intersection of Placerita Canyon and Sand Canyon roads.
The Fair Oaks area south of the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway in Canyon Country remained under a voluntary evacuation order as of mid-morning Friday, the sheriff’s department reported.
Residents with proper identification who live in the area east of Haskett Road between Davenport Road and the Antelope Valley Freeway were allowed back into their homes about 10 p.m. Thursday.
A series of roads were closed in the fire area, most notably the 14 Freeway between Golden Valley and Escondido Canyon. The California Highway Patrol suggested motorists traveling from the Lancaster area take the 14 Freeway north to westbound state Route 138 to the Golden State (5) Freeway.
Residents were urged to avoid Bouquet Canyon Road, because sheriff’s deputies and firefighters were using that roadway as a primary staging area.
And as of about 11:30 a.m. Friday, electricity service had been interrupted for nearly 10,400 Southern California Edison customers in parts of Los Angeles County under the utility’s “Public Safety Power Shutoff” program. Areas of Los Angeles County affected by the PSPS program include the Leona Valley, Agua Dulce, White Heather, Boiling Point, Mint Canyon, Chatsworth, Oaks, Lincoln Crest, Acton and Val Verde communities.
The PSPS program targets areas where weather conditions “may create the potential for elevated fire risk,” SCE reported. More information is available at www.sce.com/safety/wildfire/psps.
The fire prompted the cancellation of classes at numerous schools and two colleges.
In the city of Los Angeles, red flag parking restrictions ordered by the Los Angeles Fire Department will be in effect Friday to keep designated streets clear in case fire trucks have to be deployed.
The fire in Canyon Country was reported about 1:40 p.m. Thursday 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, fire officials said.
The firefight continued through the night, with firefighters facing “significant” winds, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Daryl Osby.
As of late Friday morning, more than 600 firefighters from various organizations, including the L.A. County and Angeles National Forest fire departments, were battling the fire along with four County Fire Department helicopters.
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, Saugus, Castaic Union and Sulphur Springs Union school districts.
The Los Angeles Unified School District closed all campuses in the San Fernando Valley 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 were also closed. All athletic activities at the affected schools were canceled or postponed, according to the LAUSD.
A total of 15 schools run by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys canceled classes scheduled for Friday.
No injuries were reported in the fire. Osby said a Los Angeles County fire Sikorsky water-dropping helicopter was struck by a bird and sustained a damaged windshield on Thursday. The chopper was able to land safely and its windshield was being repaired.
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.
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.
Two other, smaller brush fires broke out in the same general area Thursday while crews were battling the Tick Fire. The first erupted several miles to the west along the Golden State (5) Freeway in the Lake Hughes area, scorching about five to seven acres and burning through the roof of at least one home.
Another fire broke out in the Del Valle area west of the 5 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 was 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.