A fast-moving brush fire raced across hundreds of acres of terrain in the Gorman area near the Kern County line Friday, prompting evacuation orders and warnings and forcing a full closure of the heavily traveled Golden State (5) Freeway.
Fire crews responded around 2:40 p.m. to the Ridge Fire burning northeast of the 5 Freeway near Gorman School Road, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The fire spread rapidly from an initial 10 acres to nearly 1,000 acres by Friday evening. There was no containment, and no injuries were immediately reported.
The flames quickly advanced toward the freeway, initially forcing a closure of the northbound lanes at Smokey Bear Road due to heavy smoke. The southbound lanes were subsequently closed at Frazier Mountain Park Road as the flames advanced on and eventually spotted across the freeway.
Fire crews from Los Angeles and Kern counties were battling the flames, with support from Angeles National Forest personnel. By late Friday afternoon, Ventura County had dispatched various resources, including aerial water-dropping assets, as the fire went to a third alarm.
Evacuation orders were issued in the Hungry Valley area, while warnings were issued along the freeway corridor north of state Route 138 to the Kern County line. Additional warnings were in place in Kern County.