A auto covered in aerially-applied fire retardant remains parked in Ruthspring Dr., in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Sunday, July 24, 2016.
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It has destroyed 20 homes. Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp says the area was at high risk for a fast-moving fire.
Despite firefighters’ efforts, the blaze destroyed sets at Sable Ranch in Santa Clarita, which has Old West-style buildings used for movie locations.
The fast moving fire is hard to contain and local fire and emergency crews are doing their best to stop this “freight train”.
The blaze erupted Friday in nearly inaccessible terrain.
At least one body has been found amid risky wildfires that have destroyed several structures in California and sent residents fleeing to safety.
A man’s body was found in a burned-out auto as a wildfire tore a path of destruction through forests and neighborhoods near Santa Clarita, California, 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
One of the strike teams deployed is a San Francisco Fire Department team specially trained in protecting structures.
“We’re still actively investigating” the fatality, Johnson said, noting that the cause of death will be determined by an autopsy.
“Then we just focused on what really mattered in the house”, she said, adding that they had gathered important documents before fleeing with their two dogs and three birds. Some of the evacuation orders were to be lifted Sunday afternoon but because of an “unexpected wind event”, that plan was rescinded later Sunday, the fire department said on Twitter.
“It was a horrific firestorm”, owner Derek Hunt told KABC-TV.
Jerri Masten-Hansen said she and her husband watched the fire creep in toward them. “I don’t know if he got out of there or not. All we can do is pray”.
Ellen Masten was one of the longtime residents forced out in the Soberanes Fire along the California coast between Carmel and Big Sur. The area has been popular with notable artists, writers, sports figures and other celebrities who’ve lived there or maintained second homes, including Clint Eastwood, Doris Day, Ansel Adams, Jack London and Beverly Cleary.
Brock Bradford lives in a historic house in Palo Colorado, one of the evacuated areas, and could see the flames coming down the road as he fled. It gained ferocious new power two days after it broke out, sending so much smoke in the air that planes making drops on it had to be grounded for part of the day Sunday.
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About 400 exotic animals were evacuated from the Wildlife Waystation the same day.
