One fire in the West Hills area of Los Angeles was quickly doused but the other two blazes in Calabasas joined together and raced through drought-dry brush to create the massive blaze fire fighters have been battling ever since.
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The fire burned more than 500 acres in affluent Calabasas and threatened homes. Although evacuation orders for Calabasas were lifted at 2 a.m. Sunday, the northern part of Topanga Canyon was still cordoned off with residents told to stay out.
The fire scorched upwards of 200 acres with zero percent containment, raging on the steep hillside of the canyon, making it hard for firefighters to make a direct attack.
“The fire was not down against a road, it was up against a cliff”, Tripp said.
Neighborhhoods and scattered ranch homes along both Old Topanga Canyon Road and Topanga Canyon Boulevard remained under mandatory evacuation orders at midday Sunday.
Sheriff’s officials said some 3,000 homes were threatened and about 5,000 residents were evacuated at the height of the fire, which was sparked by a auto crash that downed power lines.
No evacuations have been ordered, and no structures are threatened.
A wildfire that broke out Saturday afternoon (6/4/2016) is burning out of control in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas.
A brush fire has closed all lanes on the southbound side of Interstate 15, south of Temecula Parkway, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. “That’s why we can not let people back in their homes”.
“The fire is starting to move on us, we’re deploying all”.
Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes after a auto brought down power lines in Calabasas on Saturday.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department tweeted Sunday morning that Old fire had burned over 515 acres but was at 30 percent containment by 7 am.
Firefighters who had labored overnight were swapped out at sunrise, as fresh crews began to battle the fire. “We recommend that parents leave extra early for drop off to avoid traffic delays”. Sunday’s high in Calabasas was expected to be in the mid-80s. At least one house was damaged and one commercial building was destroyed.
One social media user said ash could be spotted as far away as Dodger Stadium, which is about 30 miles away. Evacuation centers at Agoura High School, Pierce College and Agoura animal shelter were also closed.
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To the southeast, a smoky wildfire burning in Riverside County was 30 percent contained Sunday.
