Los Angeles city and county firefighters battled a brush fire Sunday near the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway in Santa Clarita now being called the “Soledad Fire,” which has scorched at least 1,100 acres and forced the evacuation of between 200 and 300 people.
The winds whipped the fire from around 400 acres late Sunday afternoon to 1,100 by the evening, Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief David Richardson told assembled reporters at a media briefing.
The fire, which was reported around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, had jumped the 14 Freeway earlier in the day and burned near Soledad Canyon and Agua Dulce Canyon roads and the 14, fire officials said. The northbound 14 was closed at Agua Dulce Canyon and southbound lanes were shut down at Soledad Canyon, the California Highway Patrol reported. The fire was also threatening nearby ranches, according to fire authorities.
County fire sent 18 engines, five trucks, five water-dropping helicopters to the scene, and fixed-winged aircraft dropped retardant, said County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Melanie Flores.
The LAFD sent a water-dropping helicopter and strike team consisting of five engines to help, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart and Flores.
Evacuations were underway in the Agua Dulce Canyon Road area, fire officials said.
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger tweeted that there were between 200 and 300 residents who were forced to evacuate, and that the Red Cross was using the Victory Outreach parking lot at 37419 25th St. East in Palmdale as a temporary shelter, but that evacuees were being told to stay in their cars.