LA Firefighters Contain 'North Fire' To 97%

CASTAIC, CA — A brush fire that rapidly charred at least 552 acres this week was being held at 97 percent containment on Saturday, fire officials said.

Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze over the last several days as high temperatures beat down on the Southland. Crews managed to save several nearby homes the fire was threatening.

"They are battling high temperatures, low relative humidity and at times gusty conditions," Sean Ferguson, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department said on Thursday.

Los Angeles County firefighters faced a tough battle with the brush fire in Castaic when it first broke out Wednesday afternoon because of its close proximity to an explosives disposal site belonging to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"Cannot make a direct attack," the Los Angeles County Fire Department tweeted. "Will have to use fire roads and dozer line."

Firefighters were sent to the 29000 block of The Old Road just after 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, county fire officials said. The blaze was burning uphill, and dense black smoke could be seen for miles in northeastern Los Angeles County.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Wednesday for residents north and west of West Hills Drive, north of Iron Village Drive, north and west of Tesoro Del Valle and north of Copper Hill Drive due to the North Fire, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station announced.

The City News Service and Patch editor Paige Austin contributed to this report.

#NorthFire Safety Messagehttps://t.co/PRFWr3I4Jl pic.twitter.com/SjZnhQKniX
— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) April 29, 2021