UPDATE: Brush fire ignites in Castaic, burning at least 550 acres

A fixed-winged aircraft drops fire retardant to help exstinguish the blaze near Castaic Lake on Saturday. Rick McClure/For The Signal
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UPDATE 6:15 P.M.

The fire is estimated at 550 acres with zero percent containment.

“It is all in the Angeles National Forest right now,” said Fire Inspector Richard Licon with L.A. County Fire.

An army of firefighters are present to fight the blaze. There are 145 firefighters and three helicopters with L.A. County Fire.

The Angeles National Forest also has their own resources to extinguish the blaze. They have five fixed-winged aircraft, two helicopters and one extra water tender.

Wind conditions have also died down according to Licon.

“The wind is cooperating with us right now,” he said.

 

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UPDATE 5:25 P.M.

The fire is estimated to have burned 550 acres near Castaic Lake and has moved into the Angeles Forest.

“It’s actually in the Angeles Forest,” said Fire Inspector Richard Licon with L.A.County Fire.

The fire is still at zero percent containment and no structures are threatened at this time.

Four helicopters, five fixed-winged aircraft and one lead air attack are all working together to tackle the blaze. A lead air attack is the aircraft involved in dropping fire retardant.

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UPDATE 4:08 P.M.

The fire is estimated to have burned at least 500 acres and is at zero percent containment.

No structures are threatened at this time.

Three helicopters from Los Angeles County Fire are assisting to extinguish the blaze. Fixed-winged aircraft from Cal Fire have also been called out for assistance.

The firefight is predominantly being fought by aircraft according to Fire Inspector Richard Licon. Although, there are boots on the ground working to extinguish the fire to.

“It’s moving very quickly right now,” said Licon.

A fixed-winged aircraft drops fire retardant to help extinguish the blaze near Castaic Lake on Saturday. Rick McClure/For The Signal

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UPDATE 3:30 P.M.

The fire has burned well over 200 acres according to L.A. County Fire officials.

A unified command between Los Angeles County Fire and the Angeles National Forest has been set up to tackle the blaze.

No structures are threatened at this time.

“(Any evacuations) would be voluntary,” said Fire Inspector Richard Licon.

Fixed-wing aircraft have been called to the scene to help extinguish the fire.

 

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UPDATE 3:20 P.M.

The fire is estimated to have burned 175 acres.

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UPDATE: 2:35 P.M.

The brush fire has burned 150 acres near Castaic Lake.

“We up to 150,” said Captain Ron Singleton with L.A. County Fire.

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UPDATE 2:14 P.M.

A brush fire has burned at least five acres in Castaic and is continuing to burn with a moderate rate of spread.

The fire was reported around 1:54 p.m. near Castaic Lake. Water-dropping helicopters were called out to assist with the fire.

“We should just have three copters,” said Captain Ron Singleton with L.A. County Fire at 2:14 p.m.

No structures are threatened by the fire.

As of 2:08 p.m., fire crews were trying to find an access point to tackle the fire.

A water-dropping helicopter works to put out the fire as it burns near Castaic Lake on Saturday. Austin Dave/The Signal
Smoke is seen from a 200-acre fire that burns near Castaic Lake on Saturday. Austin Dave/The Signal

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