Updated Oct. 11, 2019 9:23 PM
Hot, dry weather and strong Santa Ana winds served as the fuel for multiple wildfires to ignite across Southern California on Thursday, prompting officials to issue mandatory evacuation orders.
At least five new blazes were reported on Thursday, three of which occurred in Riverside County, while a fourth was burning in Ventura County.
The latest fire to explode amid the windy weather is the Saddleridge Fire, in Los Angeles County, which broke out shortly after 9 p.m. PDT Thursday in Sylmar, about 45 miles to the northwest of Los Angeles.
The fire quickly consumed 7,542 acres and has jumped a portion of Interstate 5, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). Portions of this interstate, as well as I-210, remain closed due to the fire. As of Friday afternoon, the flames were only 13% contained.
California Gov. Gavin Newscom declared a State of Emergency in Los Angeles County and Riverside County due to the wildfires on Friday afternoon.
The LAFD confirmed one fatality as a one person suffered cardiac arrest and died after being taken to a local hospital. One firefighter was treated for a minor eye injury.
"A number of homes have been destroyed by [the] fire, but the estimated number is not available at this time," the fire department said in a statement early Friday.
At least 1,000 firefighters and eight helicopters are battling the fire. At least 25 structures have been destroyed, but officials did not specify how many were homes.
AccuWeather meteorologists expect the strong winds fanning the flames will begin to subside later Friday afternoon and into the evening, which will help firefighting efforts.
Approximately 1,900 homes lie within the mandatory evacuation zone as of early Friday morning, with the fire remaining zero percent contained.
The fire is burning near the Aliso Canyon natural gas facility in Porter Ranch, where all operations have been suspended. Fire officials report that all chemicals have been safely stored in the plant and that there is no immediate threat of a catastrophic event.
"Be prepared and ready to evacuate if given the order," the Los Angeles Police Department said on Twitter early Friday morning.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said additional evacuation centers were being opened for those impacted by the blaze.
The fire is being driven by high winds into nearby neighborhoods, with an unknown number of homes potentially threatened, according to the LAFD. The department was deeming this incident a "major emergency" due to the fire's rapid growth.
Medium to heavy brush is serving as one of the main fuels for the fire's growth.
"Because of the wind-driven factor, it creates a more defensive posture for firefighters,” Los Angeles Firefighter John Ferrer told the Los Angeles Times. “We wait until the wind dies down and can deploy adequate resources to contain the flanks of the fire and an early morning attack on the fire. But at this time we’re in flux.”
Over 350 personnel are battling the blaze, with this number continuing to grow.
Southern California Edison shut off power to more than 21,000 customers in an effort to reduce the risk of the windblown fires exploding in growth due to coming in contact with downed power lines.
The planned Public Safety Power Shutoff was smaller in scale than the one instituted by Pacific Gas & Electric in Northern California on Wednesday. About 312,000 PG&E customers remain without power, while 412,000 have been restored.
On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which will help make resources more readily available to fight and recover from the Saddleridge Fire.
Meanwhile, on Thursday afternoon, the Sandalwood Fire broke out in Calimesa, California, near the Villa Calimesa Mobile Home Park. There have already been 74 structures destroyed and over one dozen with minor to moderate damage, the Riverside County Fire Department said on Twitter.
Over 100 firefighters are working in coordination with two air tankers to battle the blaze, which is 10 percent contained.
The first fatality associated with the Sandalwood Fire was reported on Friday afternoon. Cal Fire spokeswoman Cathey Mattingly said that the fatality occurred when the fire raged through a mobile home park, according to the Associated Press.
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A helicopter drops water while battling the Saddleridge fire in Porter Ranch, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
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The Sandalwood Fire grew exponentially in just a matter of hours on Thursday afternoon. The fire was reportedly 150 acres at 2 p.m., PDT, but just two hours later, it had grown to 500 acres, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
As of Friday morning it was 823 acres and 10% contained. A total of 74 structures have been destroyed by the fire.
The Sandalwood Fire started when a “trash truck dumped a load of burning trash that spread into vegetation,” the Riverside County Fire Department said.
Total devastation inside the Villa Calimesa Mobile Home Park. 74 structures were lost, 2 are still actively burning tonight. @ABC7
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Mandatory evacuations were also in place for a time for the nearby Reche Fire in Moreno Valley, California, which has burned at least 350 acres and is 40% contained. It is burning in a very steep, inaccessible terrain, making it difficult to contain.
As of 9 p.m. local time Thursday, all evacuation orders were lifted for the Reche Fire, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
"Please be cautious returning to your homes as fire resources continue working in the area," the department said on Twitter.
Moments after igniting, smoke from both the Sandalwood Fire and Reche Fire were able to be detected on weather radar.
Red flag warnings were in effect for the area on Thursday, warning of gusty winds and low humidity bringing a high fire danger to the area.
The cause of the Reche Fire is still under investigation.
The Wendy Fire in Ventura County has burned 91 acres and is 51% contained. The Ventura County Fire Department said Friday there was no increase in size overnight.
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