Three firefighters who worked to contain a Stevenson Ranch brush fire in triple digit temperatures Monday, were taken to the hospital for heat-related injuries.
The Pico Fire, which was inside an oil field of both abandoned and operational oil rigs off of Pico Canyon Road in Stevenson Ranch, burned 90 acres in 90 minutes on Monday as temperatures reached 100 degrees.
At least three firefighters suffered heat related injuries, said Art Marrujo, a supervisor with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Firefighters first responded to reports of a 4- to 5-acre brush fire on Pico Canyon Road in Stevenson Ranch shortly before 1 p.m. Monday.
By 2 p.m., fire response had been escalated to a second-alarm fire for which at least two tankers, four water-dumping helicopters and two bulldozers were allocated. Within 20 minutes, it was raised to a third-alarm fire.
At least one water-dumping helicopter from the Los Angeles Fire Department was also dispatched to the scene.
By 2:30 p.m., fire officials reported all forward progress of the fire had been stopped, with containment of the fire reported at 35 percent.
The fire — dubbed the “Pico Fire” — was first reported to be on the 26300 block of West Pico Canyon Road, at least a couple of miles from the road, said Fire Department spokeswoman Vanessa Lozano.
Firefighters arriving at the scene at 1:08 p.m. reported the fire was located on an old oil field.
“Oil rigs in the area of the fire are a mix of abandoned and operational,” said Steve Churm, spokesman for Newhall Ranch developer FivePoint.
Churm said the fire is not near grading being done for Newhall Ranch.
Although the fire shifted direction towards Poe Parkway, no structures were reported threatened.
Residents in Stevenson Ranch reported a pronounced smell of smoke and darkened skies over Poe Parkway.
“I see helicopters. I see lots of smoke, no fire,” said Hee Nun, who lives on Tennyson Lane near Poe Parkway.
The fire reportedly moved through medium to heavy brush at a moderate rate, Lozano said.
Fire officials voiced concern about movement of the fire toward Poe Parkway and the homes along the road.
Officers with the California Highway Patrol shut down Pico Canyon Road near the intersection of Brooks Circle and Poe Parkway, CHP Officer Josh Greengard said.
“We’re turning traffic around at that intersection,” he said.
Deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to the fire scene.
“Some of our sheriff’s deputies are out there just in case we have to evacuate,” said Sgt. Mark Caron, noting the deployment was simply a precautionary move.
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