Despite apparently light vegetation to fuel it, a brush fire in the Castaic area Saturday has grown from an initial three acres to more than 1,200 acres in less than three hours, authorities said.
The fire — dubbed the Charlie Fire due to Charlie Canyon Road, where the blaze first was sighted — was reported at 2:40 p.m., according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Joey Marron.
The fire covered a few acres at the top of a ridge when firefighters arrived and sized it up at 2:44 p.m., Marron said.
They quickly called for a third-alarm response of 120 firefighters, aided by three helicopters and two super scooper fixed-wing aircraft, he said.
By 6 p.m. the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s station reported Lake Hughes Road was closed from Ridge Route to Dry Gulch and that Francisquito Canyon Road was closed and evacuated from Lowridge Place North to Camp 14. No homes were affected or being evacuated, the sheriff’s department said.
The rough terrain was cited as a reason for the spread.
No structures were threatened, Marron said, although the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s station said a nearby paintball park was evacuated as a precaution.
No injuries were reported.