Los Angeles

Evacuations Lifted for ‘Charlie Fire' Near Castaic

The official size of the fire grew to more than 3,300 acres by Sunday morning

The Charlie Fire north of Castaic stood at 3,380 acres of charred brush Sunday, as evacuations were lifted and one firefighter suffered minor injuries, according to authorities.

The fire was 30-percent contained Monday morning. 

Firefighters made progress fighting the blaze overnight, as temperatures dropped and humidity rose.

The fire broke out on Charlie Canyon Road at 2:40 p.m. Saturday, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Joey Marron.

The fire had scorched a few acres at the top of a ridge but was spreading, as the first firefighters arrived at 2:44 p.m. Saturday, Marron said.

They quickly called for a third-alarm response of 120 firefighters, aided by three water-dropping helicopters and two Super Scooper tank airplanes, he said.

The fire was burning in rough chaparral and scattered trees, east of Castaic Lake and north of Santa Clarita. On Saturday, it shot up a huge pyrocumulus cloud visible from as far away as LAX, as the fire generated smoke and heat that condensed into a white cloud above the blaze.

Lake Hughes Road remained closed just above the main upper lake boat launch per the Angeles National Forest Service. Limiting recreational boating was allowed on the eastern part of the lake, while the western part of the water body was off limits so that aircraft could scoop up water.

San Francisquito Canyon Road remained closed between Low Ridge Place, near Saugus, to Fire Camp 14, near Green Valley but will be opened to residents only, officials said Sunday afternoon.

Santa Clarita City's official Twitter account said that all evacuations had been lifted.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries Sunday and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

At one point, about 100 homes were threatened and 20 to 30 homes along Francisquito Canyon Road were ordered evacuated.

The Castaic Sports Complex, 31230 Castaic Road, was designated as the evacuation center.

No structures were damaged, officials said.

No overall estimate of the number of firefighters was immediately available, but the City of Los Angeles had sent a strike team of 22 L.A. city firefighters was on scene along with a helicopter, spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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