15K-acre fire near 5 Fwy continues to burn in Gorman area
Multiple brush fires broke out across Southern California over Father's Day weekend, and firefighters continue to battle the largest of them - the Post Fire - amid warm temperatures and strong winds.
Post Fire containment increases
Despite the heat, firefighters are making progress on the Post Fire burning in the Gorman area.
Nearly 15,700 acres have burned and the fire is 79% contained.
The fire broke out started last weekend.
Evacuation orders remain for the area near Pyramid Lake.
Brush fire in Gorman now 39% contained
The Post Fire in Gorman is now 39% contained. CAL FIRE says forward progress on the north side of the fire has also been stopped at the 5 Freeway.
Evacuation orders, however, remain in place west of the freeway around Pyramid Lake and Gorman.
The blaze has burned 15,690 acres since it started Saturday. No homes have burned, but nearly two dozen cars were destroyed at an auto repair shop off the freeway.
Containment of Post Fire in Gorman increases to 24% as firefighters face dry, windy weather
Firefighters have increased their containment of a large wildfire that is burning in steep, hard-to-reach areas and threatening critical infrastructure in Gorman, officials said. But hot, dry, windy weather could challenge their efforts.
The Post Fire was 24% contained Tuesday morning after wind caused explosive growth over the weekend along the 5 Freeway.
"Fire weather conditions are making it difficult to control the fire," the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a Monday night update. "Important structures like power lines, dams, and oil pipelines are at risk."
Strong winds from the north mean the fire is expected to keep moving south, the department said. High temperatures and low humidity are forecast for Tuesday. Wind gusts could reach 55 mph.
Officials had earlier warned residents of Castaic, home to about 19,000 people, that they should prepare to leave if the fire pushed south.
The fire scorched more than 24 square miles and forced the evacuation Saturday of at least 1,200 campers, off-roaders and hikers from the Hungry Valley recreation area.
The fire erupted Saturday afternoon near the 5 Freeway. Two structures burned within the evacuated recreation area.
The majority of the more than 1,000 firefighters assigned to the blaze were focused on its southern edge, near popular Pyramid Lake, which was closed as a precaution on Sunday and Monday.
The fire broke out as weather turned hot and windy in a region where grasses brought by a rainy winter have now dried out and become fuel.
Smoke has drifted eastward, causing a slight haze in the Las Vegas area. Officials there advised children, older adults, and people with respiratory and heart disease to stay indoors.
About 75 miles to the east, the Hesperia Fire was more than 70% contained by Monday night. The fire erupted Saturday and forced road closures and evacuation warnings in San Bernardino County.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Post Fire could keep moving south due to strong winds, officials say
According to an update issued Monday evening by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the so-called Post Fire burning south of Gorman is expected to continue moving south due to strong winds from the north.
Red flag conditions in parts of Southern California are increasing the danger of wildfires spreading. The fire near the 5 Freeway has already burned 15,611 acres.
The county fire department said if the northeast winds get stronger, that may push the fire deeper into the forest and wilderness areas.
"These winds may cause the fire to spot up to 0.75 miles away," read LACoFD's update. "The northern most portion of the fire will generate minimal smoke since the lighter fuels have already burned.
If you're driving on the 5 Freeway, it still may be tough to see due to the smoke, especially in areas like Castaic, Piru, and Santa Clarita.
