As firefighters continued to work through the night, smoke from the Saddleridge fire can still be seen on the ridgelines of the hills and canyons in the Newhall Pass while they work to extinguish any hot spots or flare ups.
The fire, which began around 9 p.m. on Thursday, prompted evacuations in Sylmar, Granada Hills and Porter Ranch after growing to 4,700 acres within three hours.
As of 7:30 a.m. Saturday, the fire has burned 7,552 acres, just 10 acres more than was reported Friday evening, and is 19% contained, according to Brian Humphrey, a spokesman with the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“We have had no additional loss of life, no significant injury and no further structures lost,” he said. “We likely have passed the peak of this fire.”
The evacuations in the northern San Fernando Valley remain in place, but no new evacuations have been ordered, Humphrey added.
As of 6 a.m. Saturday, all freeways and connectors in the area have reopened, with the exception of the truck bypass routes, which remain closed, according to California Highway Patrol officer Peter Nicholson.
No evacuations have been ordered in the Santa Clarita Valley, as SCV Sheriff’s Station deputies continue to work with firefighters to monitor the fire, said Lt. Eric Lasko, with the station.
Residents will continue to see repeated fly-over water dumps throughout the day as helicopters make runs to and from Castaic Lake.
Capt. Robert Lewis of the SCV Sheriff’s Station reminds residents that when they see flames on the hillside or a red glow, it doesn’t mean that the fire is that close, he said in a Signal interview after Friday’s press conference.
“Unless they see flames at their residence or by the residence or feel the heat please use the regular lines, do not inundate the 911 line,” he said. “Because it ties it up for other emergency services that someone could be suffering a life-saving emergency.”
