UPDATE: 3:20 p.m.
Fire officials reported at least 100 acres burned in the Golden IC brush fire Wednesday.
They also reported the fire to be 90 percent contained.
The fire which skirted the Whittaker Bermite site prompted the temporary shutdown of cleanup efforts Wednesday.
A number of firefighting units were released from the scene.
“The brush fire is on the property south of Oro Fino Canyon but not on any of the areas slated for cleanup,” Russ Edmondson, spokesman for the California Department of Toxic Substances Control which oversees the ongoing cleanup of Whittaker Bermite.
He added, however, that “contractors have stopped the cleanup activities as a precaution.”
UPDATE: 1:45 p.m.
Firefighters reported good progress in battling the Golden IC brush fire, which burned 50 acres.
“They stopped all forward advancement of the fire,” Vanessa Lozano, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.
Containment of the fire was reported to be 10 percent contained.
Fire officials called for no additional fire engines but requested one water tender help out at on the south end of the Quigley Open Space.
UPDATE: 1:25 p.m.
The Golden Incident brush fire shifted with a change in the wind, swelled to at least 25 acres and began moving south into the Quigley Open Space.
“It was upgraded to a third alarm fire,” Lozano said.
The additional units were deployed to an area near Quigley Canyon Road and Cleardale Street.
UPDATE: 1:00 p.m.
Several firefighting units were dispatched to a brush fire near Golden Valley High School about noon Wednesday.
Within 40 minutes the fire – dubbed the Golden Incident – burned about 15 acres.
As officials expressed optimism that they could get a handle on the fire, after an hour the fire was reported to be moving towards Circle J Ranch and the possibility that at least one structure would be threatened.
The fire broke out near the intersection of Robert C. Lee Parkway and Golden Valley Road shortly before 12:10 p.m., Lozano said.
“They immediately started dumping water on it,” she said.
At least one water-dumping helicopter and at least two water-dumping SuperScooper aircraft were also deployed.
VIDEO: @LACoFireAirOps Firehawk makes water drop directly on a flank of the #GoldenFire near #SantaClarita supporting @LACo_FD firefighters pic.twitter.com/sgdds5uP9h
— LACoFireAirOps (@LACoFireAirOps) October 4, 2017
As firefighting efforts reached the one-hour mark, fire officials requested at least two additional water tenders transport water to the scene.
.Earlier aerial view of the #GoldenFire near Santa Clarita with @LACo_FD @LACoFDPIO @SCVSHERIFF @santaclarita pic.twitter.com/Z54l2z9nEK
— LACoFireAirOps (@LACoFireAirOps) October 4, 2017
Students at Golden Valley High School captured images of the brush fire smoke on cell phones, as school fire alarms continued to sound.
“At the moment, they’re standing by,” Dave Caldwell, spokesman for the school and the William S. Hart Union High School District told The Signal shortly.
“We’ve been told by fire officials that the fire is going away from the school,” he said.
There is no lockdown, no evacuation, just readiness, he said.
Despite reports that the school was being evacuated, both Caldwell and Sgt. Chris Maurizi with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station told The Signal at 1:05 p.m. there was no evacuation underway.
“Fire officials are on campus,” Caldwell said. “So If they give the word to go, then we’ll go.”
#goldenfire from railroad ave. pic.twitter.com/plihCF03bj
— PiuteBen (@PiuteBen) October 4, 2017
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