Considered the largest wildfire evacuation in Santa Clarita, more than 40,000 residents fled their homes as the Tick Fire grew overnight and with no word yet on when to repopulate. The blaze reached 4,300 acres with 5% containment as of Friday at 9:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Additional details will be reported throughout the morning. Current developments include as of 9:30 a.m. Friday:
- LACFD confirmed a total of six structures destroyed but have not yet released locations. An estimated 15,000 structures remain under threat.Â
- Evacuations cover everything south of Bouquet Canyon and Vasquez Canyon roads to Soledad Canyon Road. On the east and west portions of Santa Clarita, mandatory evacuations remain in place from Whites Canyon and Plum Canyon roads to Sierra Highway and Davenport Road. Both east and westbound Sand Canyon Road to Placerita Canyon Road. Public safety officials will continue to traffic and conduct looter protection.Â
- Northbound Highway 14 reopened by 4 p.m. but Sand Canyon and Soledad Canyon roads off-ramps remained closed, according to the California Highway Patrol. Southbound lanes of the 14 freeway between Escondido Canyon and Golden Valley roads remain closed. The Tick Fire burned portions of the highway’s guardrail and Caltrans is in the area inspecting the damage, said CHP.
- Evacuation centers currently open and taking evacuees include College of the Canyons’ gymnasium, located at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, and West Ranch High School, located at 26255 Valencia Blvd.Â
- Â Schools throughout the Santa Clarita Valley closed Friday, including the William S. Hart Union High School District, Sulphur Springs Union School District, Newhall School District, Saugus Union School District, Castaic Union School District, SCVi Charter School, both campuses of College of the Canyons, and California Institute of the Arts.
- All varsity Foothill League football games are postponed to Saturday at 7 p.m. at their originally scheduled locations. All JV football games will be played Monday with the following times and locations:
— Hart vs. West Ranch at West Ranch HS @ 3:30 p.m.
— Valencia vs. Saugus at Valencia HS at 7 p.m.
— Canyon vs. Golden Valley at Canyon HS at 6 p.m.
— The remaining freshman football games are to be determined.
Overnight coverage and early Friday updates include:
Additional structure fires erupted overnight as the Tick Fire continued to burn in the eastern Santa Clarita Valley, crossing over Highway 14 and forcing additional evacuations, including Sand Canyon, and closing the 14 freeway in both directions.
Additional details will be reported throughout the morning. Current developments include, as of 7 a.m. Friday:
• Several homes have burned overnight. Numbers of homes burned or damaged are not yet available.
• Highway 14 closed in both directions. The Fire Department posted on Twitter at approximately 3:15 a.m.: “The Fire has jumped the 14 fwy. The 14 is closed in both directions, North bound from Golden Valley, South bound from Escondido Cyn. Additional evacuations are now in place South of 14 fwy east of Sand Cyn, north of Placerita Cyn.,west of Agua Dulce.”
• According to the Fire Department’s official Twitter account, “ALL of Sand Canyon from the 14 to Placerita is under evacuation (not just east of Sand Cyn), and Fair Oaks will remain voluntary. Sierra Highway between Davenport and Golden Valley is also closed.”
• The SCV Sheriff’s Station tweeted at approximately 3:45 a.m.: “**ADVISORY** #TickFire EVACUATIONS CURRENTLY ARE: – South of 14 FWY – East of Sand Canyon Rd – North of Placerita Canyon Rd – West of Agua Dulce Canyon Rd”
• The Sheriff’s Department has released this map of the evacuation zones:
• The city of Santa Clarita is advising residents and motorists of the following road closures as of 3:57 a.m.: “PLEASE AVOID THE AREA – Roads in Canyon Country are jammed. Please avoid the area so residents can evacuate and first responders can get in.”
- Sierra Highway between Soledad Canyon Rd and Vasquez Canyon Rd
- Soledad Canyon Rd Eastbound at Sand Canyon
- Sand Canyon Rd between Sierra Hwy and Thompson Ranch Dr
- In Castaic:
- The Old Road
- Oak Valley Road to Red Oak Court
• Shelter for evacuees remains available at the College of the Canyons gym on the main campus in Valencia. Small animals can be evacuated to the Castaic Animal Shelter, 31044 N. Charlie Canyon Road.
• Schools throughout the Santa Clarita Valley closed Friday, including the William S. Hart Union High School District, Sulphur Springs Union School District, Newhall School District, Saugus Union School District, Castaic Union School District, SCVi Charter School, both campuses of College of the Canyons, and California Institute of the Arts.
• Metrolink service on the Antelope Valley Line is disrupted due to the fire. Metrolink posted on Twitter just after 4:30 a.m.: “AV Line 202 to Los Angeles will hold at Lancaster due to track closure between Vincent Grade and Via Princessa; fire department activity near the tracks. Due to 14 FWY closure buses cannot be secured. Updates to follow.”
• L.A. County fire has scheduled a press briefing for 9:30 a.m.
• Current public safety power outages, according to Southern California Edison, as of 6 a.m., include Mint Canyon, Agua Dulce, Acton and Val Verde:
Full coverage from Thursday afternoon and evening includes:
