Santa Clarita Sand Fire: Ferocious Fire Continues to Spread; Around 10,000 Homes Evacuated
The brush fire in Santa Clarita remains ferocious as towering flames engulf acres upon acres of land along steep hillsides. Those who have witnessed the blaze described it as a "freight train" as the blaze has caused nearly 10,000 homes to be evacuated Monday.
18 Homes Destroyed
According to the latest count, 18 homes in the northern Los Angeles County have been destroyed. The fire strengthened after it broke out two days ago, which led to a large quantity of smoke in the air. It became more difficult to battle the fire on the ground, so firefighters had to rely on aerial fire assaults.
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Fire officials have ordered the evacuation of more than 20,000 residents. More evacuations are expected should the situation become worse. Since late Sunday, the fire has eaten through 51 square miles of brush along the north Los Angeles area. Authorities said that the fire is still 10 percent contained.
"Most Extreme Fire Behavior"
Fire chief Daryl Osby has been in service longer than any other firefighter battling the sand fire. "For this time of year, it's the most extreme fire behavior I've seen in my 32-year career," he said. The flames have burned at least 46 square miles of brush along the ridgelines of the city of Santa Clarita. Osby said that this is just an estimate, and it could grow massively once final assessment of the damage has been done.
Relentless Firefighters on the Scene
Thousands of firefighters have responded to the scene. Ground crews are doing their best to contain the flames while firefighting crews by air use helicopters to drop water even through the night. It's the season of brush fires in the state, and in about 300 miles from Santa Clarita, another fire occured, which now spans more than 17 square miles and has destroyed six homes. Evacuations have already started in the Big Sur area to prepare for worsening situations.
Destroyed Properties and Animal Homes
Aside from homes and outbuildings, the sand fire also destroyed valuable properties such as a film set at the Sable Ranch in Santa Clarita. The set is an Old West style with props, buildings and structures used mainly for movie locations. Near the area was a non-profit sanctuary for rescued exotic animals. The sanctuary personnel were able to evacuate 340 of their 400 animals, and these included wild cats such as a mountain lion and Bengal tigers.
Flames Fanned by Extreme Weather Conditions
The National Weather Service has published a hazardous weather outlook warning for Southwestern California. The warning said that residents should expect a very hot and humid air mass over the region, with high temperatures of up to 95 to 100 degrees and heat index ranging from 100 to 110 degrees. These extreme conditions may fuel the sand fire, making it harder to contain.
