A wildfire is rapidly growing in an area northwest of Los Angeles, forcing thousands of people living in and around Piru and Castaic to evacuate.
What is now being called the Canyon Fire was initially thought to be about 30 acres, but the blaze has since scorched a staggering 1,500 acres across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to CALFire estimates as of 10pm ET.
According to Ventura County officials, the fire broke out on Thursday at around 2pm local time northeast of Piru — an unincorporated town with just over 2,000 residents.
The Canyon Fire was fueled by a heat wave that experts had warned about. Temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees near Lake Piru, according to the National Weather Service.
Officials have now said that the fire is moving away from Piru but is moving east toward Interstate 5 in LA County.
This presents a threat chiefly to Hasley Canyon, Val Verde and Hathaway Ranch, as well as the many power lines in that area.
Andrew Dowd, the spokesman with the Ventura County Fire Department, told The New York Times that there are an estimated 150 firefighters working to put out the fire.
On top of that, officials have dispatched 11 fixed-wing aircraft and seven helicopters to dump water on affected areas, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.
Pictured: A firefighter battled the growing Canyon Fire, which broke out on Thursday afternoon and has already exploded to 1,500 acres
Pictured: One of the 11 helicopters dispatched to fight the fire is seen dropping water near Lake Piru
In Ventura County, evacuation orders were issued for the Lake Piru Recreation area as well as the communities of Camulos and Piru.
In Los Angeles County, residents of Del Valle, Val Verde, Hasley Canyon and Castaic are also under evacuation orders.
The nearest major city to the fire, Santa Clarita, is still not under evacuation orders, though officials have warned residents to stay away from the dangerous area.
Kathryn Barger, who chairs the Los Angeles County supervisor board, urged citizens to take evacuation orders seriously.
She said the Canyon Fire ‘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,’ she added.
For people who are fleeing the flames, an evacuation center has been set up in the East Gymnasium of the College of the Canyons, located at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road in Santa Clarita.
The Canyon Fire is now the fourth major wildfire in southern California in the last few weeks, the most recent being the Gifford Fire last week.
That blaze scorched 98,000 acres of land, making it the largest wildfire in California this year.
