begin quote from:
ENLARGE
LOS ANGELES—More than 1,600 firefighters struggled to contain a
fast-moving fire northeast of Los Angeles this weekend that scorched
22,000 acres, destroyed 18 buildings and may have killed one person.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for 1,500 residents of the Santa Clarita area, in Los Angeles County near the Angeles National Forest, as the fire tore through rugged canyon neighborhoods.
A body was found Saturday outside a home in a burned sedan in Santa Clarita, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The cause of death was unclear Sunday, but authorities said the death didn't appear to be the result of a crime. Authorities didn't release the person’s identity.
The blaze, about 30 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, filled the city’s sky with an eerie haze of smoke and ash for most of the weekend, prompting air quality officials to warn some to stay inside and avoid outdoor exercise.
Fueled by nearly triple-digit temperatures, dry brush and the state’s five-year-long drought, the fire moved quickly, scorching 11,000 acres by Saturday morning, then doubling in size to 22,000 acres by Sunday morning.
Fire officials on Sunday said the blaze is only 10% contained.
“That fire came through like a freight train,” said John Tripp, deputy fire chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, at a Sunday press conference.
Fire officials said the flames exhibit “very extreme fire behavior” due to the high temperatures and dry fuel. Across the state, these conditions are now common.
On Sunday, fire officials urged residents under evacuation orders to leave their homes to protect themselves and ensure firefighters can reach the flames.
“These are not normal times, said Daryl Osby, fire chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. “When we say evacuate, that means evacuate.”
Many residents evacuated their homes and their animals Friday and Saturday, including evacuations of tigers, lions, ocelots, bears and many other animals from Wildlife Waystation, a wild animal sanctuary in the Angeles National Forest.
Fire officials said Sunday flames were moving toward Acton, Calif., a small town northeast of Santa Clarita. Firefighters working under a joint command of the U.S. Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office are prioritizing the protection of those homes and structures as the fire moves into the area, fire officials said.
The threat of the flames isn’t the only safety hazard facing many in these communities: the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for the Santa Clarita and San Gabriel mountain areas, calling the air “unhealthy.”
Though the flames aren't heading toward downtown Los Angeles, a thick layer of smoke and ash blanketed the sky above the city Saturday, but had mostly cleared Sunday morning.
California has faced a damaging wildfire season already, with hundreds of fires scorching the state. The largest fire, in late June in Kern County, Calif., scorched 48,019 acres, destroyed more than 200 homes and killed an elderly couple.
| Wall Street Journal | - |
LOS
ANGELES—More than 1,600 firefighters struggled to contain a fast-moving
fire northeast of Los Angeles this weekend that scorched 22,000 acres,
destroyed 18 buildings and may have killed one person.
California Firefighters Struggle to Contain Blaze Near Santa Clarita
High temperatures, dry brush and drought keep blaze growing
ENLARGE
California has faced a
damaging wildfire season already, with hot weather, drought and dry
brush combining to make conditions difficult for firefighters.
Photo:
jonathan alcorn/Reuters
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for 1,500 residents of the Santa Clarita area, in Los Angeles County near the Angeles National Forest, as the fire tore through rugged canyon neighborhoods.
A body was found Saturday outside a home in a burned sedan in Santa Clarita, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The cause of death was unclear Sunday, but authorities said the death didn't appear to be the result of a crime. Authorities didn't release the person’s identity.
The blaze, about 30 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, filled the city’s sky with an eerie haze of smoke and ash for most of the weekend, prompting air quality officials to warn some to stay inside and avoid outdoor exercise.
Fueled by nearly triple-digit temperatures, dry brush and the state’s five-year-long drought, the fire moved quickly, scorching 11,000 acres by Saturday morning, then doubling in size to 22,000 acres by Sunday morning.
Fire officials on Sunday said the blaze is only 10% contained.
“That fire came through like a freight train,” said John Tripp, deputy fire chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, at a Sunday press conference.
Fire officials said the flames exhibit “very extreme fire behavior” due to the high temperatures and dry fuel. Across the state, these conditions are now common.
On Sunday, fire officials urged residents under evacuation orders to leave their homes to protect themselves and ensure firefighters can reach the flames.
“These are not normal times, said Daryl Osby, fire chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. “When we say evacuate, that means evacuate.”
Many residents evacuated their homes and their animals Friday and Saturday, including evacuations of tigers, lions, ocelots, bears and many other animals from Wildlife Waystation, a wild animal sanctuary in the Angeles National Forest.
Fire officials said Sunday flames were moving toward Acton, Calif., a small town northeast of Santa Clarita. Firefighters working under a joint command of the U.S. Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office are prioritizing the protection of those homes and structures as the fire moves into the area, fire officials said.
The threat of the flames isn’t the only safety hazard facing many in these communities: the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for the Santa Clarita and San Gabriel mountain areas, calling the air “unhealthy.”
Though the flames aren't heading toward downtown Los Angeles, a thick layer of smoke and ash blanketed the sky above the city Saturday, but had mostly cleared Sunday morning.
California has faced a damaging wildfire season already, with hundreds of fires scorching the state. The largest fire, in late June in Kern County, Calif., scorched 48,019 acres, destroyed more than 200 homes and killed an elderly couple.
—Sara Randazzo contributed to this article.
Write to Jennifer Calfas at Jennifer.Calfas@wsj.com 
