Rapidly spreading brush fire forces evacuations north of Los Angeles
The Canyon Fire ignited around 1:30 p.m., growing to over 1.6 square miles (4.1 square kilometers) in less than three hours, according to Ventura County emergency response. It remained zero percent contained late Thursday afternoon and was spreading east, the county said.
The fire is burning just south of Lake Piru, a reservoir located in the Los Padres National Forest. It's close by Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area burned by the Hughes Fire in January. That fire burned about 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) in six hours and put 50,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings. In LA County, around 4,200 residents and 1,400 structures are under an evacuation order, and another 12,500 residents are under an evacuation warning, said spokesperson Andrew Dowd for the Venture County Fire Department. The evacuation zones in nearby Ventura County are relatively unpopulated, Dowd said. Fifty-six people were evacuated from the Lake Piru recreation area.
Dowd said the fire was a "very dynamic situation" caused by hot, dry weather, steep and rugged terrain and dry fuel. There were 250 firefighters on the ground coordinating with helicopters and other air support, he said. LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the district, urged residents to evacuate. "Extreme heat and low humidity in our north county have created dangerous conditions where flames can spread with alarming speed," Barger said in a statement. "If first responders tell you to leave, go-without hesitation." The new blaze comes as a massive wildfire in Central California became the state's largest blaze of the year, threatening hundreds of homes and burning out of control in the Los Padres National Forest.
The Gifford Fire had spread to 154 square miles (399 square kilometers) by Thursday afternoon and was at 15% containment. It grew out of at least four smaller fires that erupted last Friday along State Route 166, forcing closures in both directions east of Santa Maria, a city of about 110,000 people. It has injured at least four people. The causes of the fires are under investigation. Wildfire risk will be elevated through the weekend across much of inland California as a heat wave gripping the area intensifies. August and September are typically the most dangerous months for wildfires in the state. "In Southern California, the threat is driven by persistent drought, high grass loads, and weakening coastal moisture," according to a wildfire forecast by the state's fire department.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Wildfires, extreme heat, and storm threats grip Western US; temperature set to rise in New York City, other places
As the western United States braces for a week marked by fires, storms, and near-record high temperatures, authorities and experts warn of escalating challenges from multiple natural hazards. The largest ongoing wildfire, the Gifford Fire, located about 125 miles northwest of Los Angeles, has burned 114,621 acres and is 21% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), as reported by Bloomberg. The blaze has prompted the evacuation of 809 residents and led to the closure of the Los Padres National Forest. Nearly 4,000 fire crews and support personnel are engaged in battling the fire, with at least seven injured, according to a joint statement by Cal Fire, the US Forest Service, and local agencies shared with the news outlet. California faces a total of 15 active fires, including the Canyon Fire, which has consumed 5,370 acres across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Additionally, a new fire near Fresno ignited Sunday but has so far burned only about 10 acres, the news outlet reports. Meanwhile, Colorado is grappling with large wildfires causing deteriorated air quality, especially in western areas such as Vail, according to the US National Weather Service as cited by the news publicatio. Smoke from Canadian wildfires is also impacting air quality in parts of the northern US. Minnesota and Michigan's Upper Peninsula have issued air quality alerts due to drifting smoke from Canada's forest fires. Across the border, parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are under similar warnings, Environment and Climate Change Canada confirmed to Bloomberg. Canada currently contends with 714 active fires, with 166 out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. This year, Canadian wildfires have scorched 7.3 million acres, while the US has seen 42,854 fires burning 3.5 million acres, per data from the US National Interagency Fire Center as reported. Heat advisories and extreme heat warnings remain in effect across much of the western US, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Phoenix is expected to reach 108°F on Sunday, down from a record-breaking 118°F on Thursday, the fifth highest US city temperature ever recorded. Temperatures are expected to climb in New York City and across the Northeast, with up to 12 records likely to be tied or broken in the coming week, according to the US Weather Prediction Center. The Northeast is forecast to experience rising temperatures with the potential for up to 12 record highs in the coming week, the US Weather Prediction Center was quoted as stating. Flood watches are also in effect across parts of the Midwest, including Milwaukee, where the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Park surged to a record crest of 11.19 feet, rising more than eight feet in just one day, the US Weather Service reportedly said. The Wisconsin State Fair canceled its final day on Sunday due to flooding damage. In the Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring two potential storm systems far from land. One is a disorganised cluster of thunderstorms moving north with a 20% chance of tropical development, while a broad low-pressure area off Africa has a 70% chance of becoming a tropical storm or hurricane within a week. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic in Europe, the remnants of Tropical Storm Dexter are expected to bring warmer temperatures to the UK and Ireland next week. The UK Met Office forecasts highs reaching 33°C (91°F) in London by Tuesday, marking a significant heat surge, according to the news report.
Mint
3 days ago
- Mint
Fires, Storms and Blazing Temperatures Forecast for Western US
(Bloomberg) -- Fires, storms and the potential for near-record high temperatures across the western US are in the offing for the coming week. The Gifford Fire, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, had burned 113,648 acres and was 21% contained through Saturday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, commonly known as Cal Fire. So far, 809 people have been evacuated and the Los Padres National Forest was closed because of the flames. There are 3,935 fire crews and support staff on the scene, and at least seven have been injured, according to a joint statement by Cal Fire, the US Forest Service and several local agencies. The Gifford blaze is the largest of 14 fires across the state, according to Cal Fire. Large wildfires in Colorado have also caused air quality to drop there, the US National Weather Service said. Alerts are out across western portions of the state, including Vail, the agency said. Meanwhile, smoke from forest fires in Canada has once again crossed into the US causing air quality alerts to be posted in Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, the National Weather Service said. There's also a dense smoke advisory in place across northeast parts of Montana. Across the border, air quality warnings are also in place for parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Environment and Climate Change Canada said. Across Canada, 714 active fires are burning with 166 raging out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. So far this year, 4,277 blazes have charred 7.3 million acres. In the US, there have been 42,854 fires reported on 3.5 million acres, the US National Interagency Fire Center said. While the number of US fires exceeds last year's 32,727 by this date, the acreage burned is less than the more than 5 million acres consumed a year ago. US heat advisories and extreme heat warnings are posted across parts of the west, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Phoenix is forecast to reach 108F (42C) Sunday, a dip from the record temperatures that gripped the fifth most-populous US city last week. Phoenix set a new August high temperature of 118F on Thursday. In New York City and elsewhere in the Northeast, temperatures are set to rise. As many as 12 records may be tied or broken across the region in the coming week, the US Weather Prediction Center said. Flood watches have been posted across the Midwest, including Milwaukee, the weather service said. The Milwaukee River in Estabrook Park has risen more than 8 feet in the last day cresting at a new record of 11.19 feet, the weather service said. The US National Hurricane Center is watching two potential storms both in the central Atlantic far from land. The first is a disorganized patch of thunderstorms that's moving north into the Atlantic with a 20% chance of becoming a storm in the next week. The second is a broad area of low pressure that is moving off Africa with a 70% chance of becoming a tropical storm or hurricane in the coming week. The remnants of Tropical Storm Dexter, which has crossed the Atlantic Ocean toward Europe, will set the stage for warmer temperatures to filter in across the UK and Ireland, the UK Met Office said. Warmer temperatures are forecast to sweep into the UK during the coming week. The high in London is forecast to reach 33C (91F) by Tuesday, the agency said. --With assistance from Isis Almeida.
News18
5 days ago
- News18
Canyon Fire Burns Over 5,000 Acres Near LA, Air Quality Declines Sharply
Last Updated: An Air Quality Alert was issued Friday due to the fire's impact on surrounding communities. Several areas across Los Angeles are battling fast-moving wildfires, with residents forced to evacuate their homes in haste as firefighters work tirelessly to bring the blazes under control. Among the most concerning is the Canyon Fire, which erupted Thursday and has rapidly spread across parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. The fire reportedly began near Lake Piru and has moved eastward toward Castaic. As of early Friday afternoon, the Canyon Fire had scorched approximately 5,370 acres, according to the latest updates from the LA County. While containment efforts are ongoing, the fire is currently 25% contained, up from 0% earlier on Friday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported. Fueled by temperatures exceeding 100°F (37.7°C) and strong gusty winds, the fire spread quickly through the dry, brush-covered hills and mountainous terrain. Authorities are cautiously optimistic that cooler nighttime temperatures may help slow the fire's advance, but conditions remain volatile. An Air Quality Alert was issued Friday due to the fire's impact on surrounding communities. Air quality in affected regions has plummeted to 'unhealthy" levels, prompting the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District to issue warnings for areas including Piru, Fillmore, and Santa Paula. The Ventura County Fire Department has ordered mandatory evacuations for more than 2,700 residents, while an evacuation warning remains in place for approximately 14,000 people in the region. Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger took to social media to urge compliance with evacuation directives. 'If you're in Santa Clarita, Hasley Canyon, or Val Verde, take evacuation orders seriously – when first responders say GO, leave immediately. Keep aware – please don't risk lives," she wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The #CanyonFire is spreading fast under extreme heat & dry conditions near Ventura–LA County line. If you're in Santa Clarita, Hasley Canyon, or Val Verde, take evacuation orders seriously — when first responders say GO, leave immediately. Keep aware–please don't risk lives. — Supervisor Kathryn Barger (@kathrynbarger) August 7, 2025 The city of Santa Clarita remains on high alert, with emergency officials urging residents to avoid affected zones until further notice. Meanwhile, another major blaze, known as the Gifford Fire, continues to burn northwest of the region, in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and has already engulfed nearly 100,000 acres. With continued extreme heat and dry conditions forecast in the coming days, the National Weather Service has warned that the situation could become more complex and dangerous across Southern California. view comments First Published: August 09, 2025, 03:13 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
