A massive wildfire, fueled by strong winds, has scorched nearly 15,000 acres north of Los Angeles, while another blaze has ravaged Sonoma County, north of San Francisco.
Post Fire
The Post Fire, California’s first significant wildfire of the year, ignited on Saturday afternoon. Although no lives were lost, about 1,200 people were evacuated from Hungry Valley campground and surrounding areas.
Evacuation orders remain for areas west of Interstate 5 between Pyramid Lake and Gorman, according to CAL Fire. Residents in nearby areas, including Castaic (home to about 19,000 people), have been warned to prepare for evacuation as winds up to 50 mph are expected to persist.
“If you’re in a warning area, be prepared with a ‘go bag,’ with overnight clothes and your cellphone, your medicines, your glasses. Have your car fueled up,” said Kenichi Haskett, a section chief for the LA County Fire Department.
In Lancaster, home to about 170,000 people and located approximately 60 miles north of Los Angeles, residents were ordered to evacuate due to a fire nicknamed Max, which was contained by Sunday afternoon.
The Post Fire, now the largest wildfire in California this year, had only 2 percent containment as of Sunday afternoon. Strong winds were complicating firefighting efforts, as aerial attempts to drop water were hindered by the winds scattering the water.
“The wind just sprays the water everywhere we don’t need it. So that’s a challenge,” Haskett explained.
The fire consumed over 10,000 acres within the first 12 hours. Continuous heat and strong winds are sparking new fires, although none have been as destructive as the Post Fire. Officials have issued an evacuation warning for a fire in San Bernardino County, about 75 miles west of Los Angeles, leading to road closures.
Los Angeles County officials have closed several roads due to the blaze, including the Golden State Highway and Mulholland Highway between Lower Brewster Road and Seminole Drive.
CAL Fire has deployed nearly 1,200 firefighters in 34 crews, along with 14 water tenders and 11 dozers. So far, only one recreational building has been damaged. Fire officials hope to contain the fire within the week.
Extreme Heat and Dry Conditions
The extreme heat in the southwest this spring has dried out vegetation, creating ideal conditions for wildfires. The heat is expected to continue in the coming weeks. Some places, including Las Vegas, have already broken records during the first heat wave of the season.
Sonoma County Fire
In Sonoma County, at least 15,000 acres have burned. The Point Fire, which started near Lake Sonoma, has forced hundreds to evacuate. A red flag warning was issued in the area last night. Some buildings have been damaged, although it is unclear what types of structures were affected, according to CAL Fire spokesperson Jason Clay.
Schools in the district south of Lake Sonoma were canceled on Monday. Several smaller fires are also burning across the county. CAL Fire’s Butte County unit is confident that over 50 percent of these fires will be contained by later this afternoon.