Wildfires Prompt Mandatory Evacuations Of 40K-50K Residents In Santa Clarita North Of L.A.; Tick Fire Grows To 5,000 Acres – Update – Deadline

UPDATE 8 PM Pacific Time: Strong winds with gusts up to 55 miles per hour will give firefighters a tough time tonight, as high winds were expected through Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

The Tick Fire was proving particularly troublesome, as an estimated 500 firefighters, four helicopters and four air tankers doing water drops battled the blaze, which still was uncontained as of 7 PM.  An estimated 50,000 people remain under mandatory evaculations. No injuries or damaged structures have been reported.

The fires burning throughout the region combined to scorch about 3,000 acres by 7:30 PM. according to Capt. Tony Imbrenda with L.A. County Fire.

UPDATED with latest information: Three brush fires fueled by Southern California’s dangerous Santa Ana winds, low humidity and hot temperatures have broken out in northern Los Angeles County on Thursday in the Santa Clarita Valley, with the so-called Tick Fire growing quickly to 5,000 acres and forcing evacuations, and another shutting down a direction of the region’s vital 5 Freeway.

Santa Clarita Sheriff Robert Lewis said at at 5:30 PM PT news conference an estimated 40,000-50,000 residents in Santa Clarita are currently under mandatory evacuation orders, with more than 200 firefighters and airships making progress as the evening wears on helped by easing winds. No injuries have been reported.

Mandatory evacuations for the Tick Fire, burning in Canyon Country, have grown since the fire began earlier this afternoon. Residents north of the 14 Freeway, east of Whites/Plum Canyon, south of Vasquez Canyon an west of Agua Dulce must leave, along with those south of the 14, east of Sand Canyon Road, north of Placerita Canyon and west of Robinson Ranch Golf Course. The Soledad Canyon offramps in both directions of the 14 are also closed.

A second unrelated fire first called the Old Fire and now called the TickBranch10 Fire, is burning in the Castaic area a few miles west of the Tick Fire near Lake Hughes Road. Los Angeles County Fire Department chief Daryl Osby said this evening that five homes have been lost so far in the 10-acre fire running up a hillside above the 5, a major north-south artery into and out of the City of Los Angeles. The California Highway Patrol said the northbound 5 has now been been closed at Halsey Canyon.

A third fire in Santa Clarita Valley has since sprung up at San Martinez Road/Chiquito Canyon Road, with fewer structures at risk.

Evacuation centers have been set up in the Santa Clarita area at the College of the Canyons’ main campus in Valencia in the gym, as well as at the Newhall Community Center. Several school districts in the area have already decided to close Friday.

The news comes as another brush fire, in the Sepulveda Basin area smack in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, is now blowing thick smoke in the direction of the Sepulveda Pass south along the 405 Freeway and across the 101 Freeway, two more major L.A. thoroughfares that are in the midst of their end-of-day rush hours.

Back in northern L.A. County, plume of thick, dark smoke could been seen looming over the hills that separate the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys, nearly the same vantage point for residents impacted by the Saddleridge Fire that burned more than 8,000 acres in northern Los Angeles two weeks ago. That fire forced the shutdown of several TV productions in the area, mostly due to accessibility issues as the 5 and 14 freeways were clogged or closed.

Today, both the Santa Clarita Film Office and FilmL.A. said they’ve received no reports of production shutdowns due to today’s fires.

Earlier Thursday, a brush fire that broke out in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock was knocked down quickly as fire officials are on high alert with the region under another Red Flag warning that will last until at least Friday night.

The National Weather service forecasts “widespread critical conditions to most of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties” with wind gusts between 40-60 mph, isolated gusts to 70 mph, humidity below 10 percent and temperatures between 87-97 degrees during that time.

On Monday, the Los Angeles Fire Department battled a brush fire on a Pacific Palisades hillside that threatened multimillion-dollar homes there. Firefighters were still working on containment today amid fears the latest round of Santa Ana could cause new problems there.