Hundreds have been evacuated as a swiftly-growing wildfire burns through Santa Clarita, California.
The Sand fire has spread to cover more than 11,000 acres since it was first reported on Friday at 2 pm local time. Officials said the fire is only 10 per cent contained at the time of this writing.
Firefighters fought the flames through the night, according to ABC 7, but they were not prepared for the unusual conditions they met.
“We were experiencing 50- to 100-foot flame links running across these ridges and down these slopes and doing the kind of things we normally expect to see at 2 pm,” Dennis Cross, battalion chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said. “It’s been a really tough fire and really tough fire season so far.”
The fire originated along the 14 Freeway on the eastern edge of the Santa Clarita Valley, according to the Los Angeles Times. It quickly spread into the Angeles National Forest.
High temperatures and heavy winds are expected to continue fueling the fires. Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 108ºF (42ºC).
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a heat alert due to the excessive heat.
“When temperatures are high, even a few hours of exertion may cause severe dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke,” interim health officer of LA County Jeffrey GUnzenhauser told the Times. “Extreme heat such as this is not just an inconvenience, it can be dangerous and deadly.”
