Mandatory evacuations for Hurst Fire in Sylmar are lifted
Mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted for the Hurst Fire in the San Fernando Valley community of Sylmar as progress is made by firefighters, authorities said Thursday.
The rapidly expanding blaze was first reported around Tuesday night in the 15900 block of W. Yarnell Street and quickly grew to more than 770 acres as of Thursday evening, forcing the evacuation of more than 3,000 residents, Los Angeles Fire Department officials said.
California Highway Patrol officers who witnessed the flames said that an entire mountainside appeared to be burning.
But crews were able to minimize burn over Wednesday night, with the wildfire 37% contained Thursday, according to Cal Fire. Evacuation orders have been lifted and downgraded to warnings.
A full list of the latest updates can be found here.
LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said the Hurst Fire is burning in the footprint of the historic footprint of the 2019 Saddle Ridge Fire, which burned nearly 9,000 acres. She said Thursday that "Firefighters held the containment within a pinned containment area and are successful, and we have established a perimeter."
Cal Fire said crews managed several flare-ups in the fire's footprint. "Firefighters have successfully contained the fire north of the I-210 Foothill Freeway, establishing control lines extending to Santa Clara Divide Road."
Early Wednesday morning, California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office announced that they had secured federal assistance through the Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
"We are working vigorously to ensure maximum support for firefighting efforts in Los Angeles, including the Hurst Fire, which is now threatening San Fernando and Newhall," Newsom said in a statement.
Evacuations and road closures
Evacuation orders were issued for people living north of the I-210 Freeway from Roxford to the I-5/SR-14 Freeway split, firefighters said. But those orders were lifted Thursday and are now only considered warnings, according to an LAFD alert just after 4 p.m.
Westbound lanes of the 210 Freeway were closed due to smoke being produced by the fire before reopening later Wednesday.
Just south, in Sun Valley, another fire was reported after starting at a commercial building that quickly spread to nearby brush. That blaze had forced temporary closures of I-5 in the area.
Evacuation warnings were issued for residents near the 5 Freeway close to Woodley/Balboa to Lahey Street to Zelzah Avenue.
Firefighters told residents in that area to "prepare to evacuate" because of the fire.
An evacuation center was opened at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, which is located at 10736 Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Pacoima. Other evacuation centers were established at Northridge Park at 10120 Reseda Boulevard and the Sepulveda Recreation Center at 8825 Kester Avenue.
Major fires burn across LA County
This is one of three notable fires currently burning within Los Angeles County after the Palisades Fire exploded in size in the Pacific Palisades early Tuesday and the Eaton Fire ignited in the canyons above Altadena.
Both fires have prompted evacuation orders and federal requests for funding assistance.
Los Angeles firefighting resources have been extremely overburdened with the first two fires, especially with all water-dropping aircraft restricted from flying due to the "life-threatening" windstorm battering Southern California.
LAFD has requested that all off-duty firefighters contact the department to report their availability in regards to aiding the ongoing firefight.
On Wednesday evening, a new fire called the Sunset Fire erupted in the Hollywood Hills, forcing evacuations for people living in the Runyon Canyon and Nichols Canyon areas.
