A huge wildfire in the Los Angeles area spread another 2,000 acres overnight and appeared to have killed a motorist whose remains were found in a charred vehicle in the fire’s path, officials said on Sunday.
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The so-called Sand Fire has scorched 31 square miles and prompted the evacuation of 1,500 homes.
“Things got in alignment yesterday and that fire came through like a freight train”, said Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp, of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
On the ground, 900 firefighters battled the flames and the area’s rugged terrain, with its steep hillsides and treacherous ravines.
Earlier, fire officials said that some Sand Canyon residents would be allowed to return home at 1 p.m. but that decision was later rescinded as winds began to shift again.
Although Kellar is concerned, he also said he is very confident and very appreciative of everyone who is making an effort to stop the fire from spreading and from burning down homes. The fire 5 miles south of Garrapata State Park posed a threat to about 1,000 homes and the community of Palo Colorado was ordered evacuated, Cal Fire said. The poor air quality can also affect lung functions and people’s ability to take deep breaths. One body found on Saturday night in the neighborhood was ruled a victim of the fire.
Families evacuating the city can be seen clutching their possessions as a sheet of orange fire rises above the horizon behind them.
Firefighters battle blaze at commercial building in downtown L.A.
The Santa Clarita area is under a “red flag warning” issued by the National Weather Service, meaning weather conditions and dry vegetation are combined for what the weather service calls “extreme fire danger and/or fire behavior”.
The blaze, first reported at 2 p.m. Friday, grew to almost 5,500 acres by Saturday morning, then exploded by late evening as the winds began to shift, pushing flames closer to homes in a Santa Clarita neighborhood that abuts the Angeles National Forest, fire officials said. Most of the homes that were destroyed were in the areas of Sand Canyon, Bear Divide and Little Tujunga, said Marc Peebles, public information officer for the SoCal Incident Management Team.
Authorities say 18 structures have burned in a massive wildfire that is threatening more than 1,500 homes in canyons north of Los Angeles. Another 16 square miles burned in the Big Sur region about 300 miles to the north.
Firefighters discovered a man’s body in a compact sedan as they traveled along Santa Clarita’s Iron Canyon Road on Saturday night.
The wildfire was only 10 percent contained on Sunday and the cause of was still under investigation.
“It’s not a one-direction type of fire”, said Nathan Judy, spokesman for the Angeles National Forest, according to The Associated Press.
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BuzzFeed News reports the sheriff of Los Angeles County is already investigating the death of one man they believe was evacuating the area.
