UPDATE: 6:00 p.m.
Fire crews are mopping up the scene of the Copper Fire in north Santa Clarita.
UPDATE: 5:00 p.m.
All forward progress of the Copper Fire has been stopped. The blaze burned 2.5 acres.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury in the short-lived firefight and was taken by paramedics to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, a fire department official told The Signal shortly before 5 p.m.
“His injuries are minor and he was taken by basic life support to hospital,” the official said.
All firefighting aircraft were called off.
UPDATE: 4:45 p.m.
With the threat of a repeat of the Rye Fire thwarted by fast-moving firefighters, attention turned quickly to a possible arson suspect.
A watch commander with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station confirmed for The Signal reports of a possible arson suspect seen in the area of Copper Hill Drive and Tesoro Del Valle Drive.
The Copper Fire has burned at least two acres with all “forward progress” of the fire stopped, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Gustavo Medina.
UPDATE: 4:40 p.m.
The brush fire that broke out off of West Hills Drive – named the Copper Fire – has burned two acres.
Firefighting units with two Los Angeles County Fire Department battalions included half a dozen fire engines, a couple of water-dumping helicopters and bulldozers.
Optimistic fire officials declined an offer of fixed-wing water-dumping aircraft.
“One of the chiefs said that forward progress of the fire has been halted,” Inspector Gustavo Medina said.
Reminiscent of the fire call that went out a week ago alerting the SCV to the Rye Fire, firefighters were dispatched Tuesday afternoon to the same general area in Valencia for a fire west of Copper Hill Drive.
“We have smoke and fire,” Inspector Gustavo Medina of the Los Angeles County Fire Department told The Signal at 4:15 p.m.
Firefighters dispatched to the 29100 block of West Hills Drive reported fire burning in light to medium brush estimated to be about a quarter acre.
