California wildfire spreads to over 11,000 acres within 24 hours

Wildfire fueled by high heat has so far charred at least 11,000 acres (about 44.5 square km) in the Santa Clarita Valley area, the state of Canifornia, a county fire inspector said on Saturday.

A brush fire broke out along the northbound Antelope Valley around 2 p.m. Friday, near Sand Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. The blaze has been 10 percent contained as of about 11 a.m., the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

Hot and dry temperatures, together with gusts of up to 40 mph (about 64 km per hour) helped the fire burned more than 2,000 acres (some 8 square km) overnight.

Residents were reporting smoke-filled air and falling ash in many parts of the greater Los Angeles area, and at least one building is believed to have been damaged or destroyed. No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze, said the authority.

Fewer than 100 people were evacuated from the area of Capra Road off Soledad Canyon Road because of the flames, county fire officials said.

And residents of between 200 and 300 home in the area were also under a mandatory evacuation order, according to the sheriff's department. An emergency shelter for residents was established at a high School.

About 300 firefighters were battling the flames from the ground and air. The Los Angeles Fire Department sent a water-dropping helicopter to join the county fire department. Eight fixed-wing firefighting aircraft were also called in to attack the blaze.

A smoke advisory was issued through midnight Sunday for the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valleys, the San Gabriel Mountains, the Pomona/Walnut Valley, and the central Los Angeles area, as smoke from the fire drifted southeast toward Los Angeles.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District said those areas were susceptible to direct smoke impact and unhealthy air quality, and recommended that people stay indoors and avoid using swamp coolers and wood-burning appliances. Endit