LOS ANGELES (CBS) -- A brush fire that began near oil fields on Oat Mountain north of Porter Ranch rapidly tore through more than 5,000 acres Monday, destroying several structures and forcing many residents to flee their homes as flames marched toward neighborhoods.
Windier conditions expected Monday night threatened to have the fire cross the Ventura (101) Freeway and burn to the Pacific Ocean or head deeper into Ventura County, Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
The fire had already crossed the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway, Humphrey said.
"We are prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws at us," Humphrey said. "It depends on the winds. In this situation, wind is king. The winds
could even be benevolent."
The only firefighter to suffer an injury was treated for an eye injury at a hospital and released, Humphrey said.
But 19 structures have been burned or damaged, Humphrey said, and more homes were threatened Monday night.
"We do not know how many were residences," Humphrey said.
Firefighters were sent to the area north of the 12800 block of Tampa Avenue shortly before 10:30 a.m., Humphrey said. Heavy winds quickly pushed the fire, dubbed the Sesnon fire, southwest toward residential areas in Porter Ranch, then south of the Ronald Reagan Freeway and toward Ventura County.
As gusting winds of more than 60 mph drove the fire, the size of the blaze exploded from about 200 acres to 3,000 acres by mid-afternoon. Fire
officials said even heavier winds were forecast for late tonight and Tuesday morning, sparking fears that the blaze could make a relentless march all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Evacuations were ordered in Box Canyon, Woolsey Canyon, Bell Canyon,
Lake Manor, Dayton Canyon, Browns Canyon and an area north of Bell Canyon and west of Valley Circle Boulevard.
The fire likely contributed to at least one death. A person was killed in a fiery head-on collision on the Ronald Reagan Freeway just east of DeSoto Avenue -- on a stretch of the freeway that was inundated by thick black smoke as the fire spread and even jumped the freeway.
The cause of the car collision was not immediately known, but it was reported at 12:27 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. There were no other injuries reported in the collision, Inspector Ron Haralson of the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.
The Ronald Reagan Freeway was shut down early Monday afternoon in both directions from Reseda Boulevard west to the Ventura County line.
It was unclear how many structures were damaged, although video taken by television helicopter crews showed flames burning into some backyards, scorching rooftops and burning decks. At least one secluded canyon home was seen fully involved in flames.
"I've been out on the line with our firefighters all morning. I want to say, they always amaze me," Councilman Greig Smith said. "I know we've lost homes in my area, my district. ... We'll do everything we can to assist those citizens."
Structures at the former Nike missile site in the Santa Susana Pass were destroyed. Those structures are generally unoccupied, although the station reported that the Los Angeles Police Department often uses
the facility for SWAT training.
One longtime Porter Ranch resident who evacuated his home reported that the smoke was "so thick, you could cut it with a knife."
"You couldn't breathe there," Randy Stalk said. "It was horrible."
Stalk reported seeing one Porter Ranch home in flames.
Several "suspicious" fires involving a few acres were reported Monday at various areas in Los Angeles County, some near the Antelope Valley (14)
Freeway, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief P. Michael Freeman said.
Freeman urged members of the public to call authorities if they see
anything suspicious.
"And our concern is to protect life, and property, and then to try to
do our very best to keep that fire from getting through the Susana pass or
making a run down toward Pacific Coast, and again, that is a real possibility with the wind conditions," Freeman said.
"... There are homes in there, there is some ranch property," he said. "The information we're getting is that a lot of the fuel over there is
considered to be light to medium brush ... but in the wind conditions, of course, that makes the fire move very rapidly, and it's a very dangerous
situation over that that firefighters are contending with."
Three water-dropping helicopters were helping to battle the flames, and
ground crews were positioning themselves between the flames and homes.
About 800 firefighters were on the lines battling the blaze.
"We have a lot of resources," Haralson said. "We've got everything we need. We just need a little assistance from Mother Nature, from the weather. Once we get a window of opportunity when the winds aren't blowing so strong, we can go in there and do some good work."
Humphrey said the fire was originally reported in the oil fields on Oat Mountain, which is home to radio and broadcast towers.
"There are historic oil leases in the area, and known to many Los Angeles trivia buffs, this area is the site of one of the nation's largest underground natural gas storage areas," Humphrey said.
"In mentioning that, I want to stress very strongly that the underground natural storage gas area is not in any danger from the fire at this time, nor are the historic oil leases in the area."
Humphrey also told the station that the new homes in the Porter Ranch
area were built to modern fire standards, putting them at less risk.
"Of course, this is a wildfire and everyone in this neighborhood needs
to keep their fingers on the status of this fire and be prepared to evacuate in a calm and orderly fashion if that order comes through," Humphrey said.
Evacuation centers were set up at various locations to assist residents displaced not only by the Sesnon fire, but by the 5,000-acre Marek fire that has been burning since early Sunday.
According to the American Red Cross, more than 750 people have registered at the main evacuation center at San Fernando High School. Other centers were established at El Camino High School in Canoga Park, 5440 Valley Circle; Shepherd of the Hills Church, 19700 Rinaldi St. in Porter Ranch; and Canoga Park High School, 6850 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Sylmar High School was also being used as a "reunification" center.
E-Mail
Print
