With the smoke plume still visible from all of the Santa Clarita Valley, the Lake Fire has reached 14,714 acres in size with 12% containment.
The fire, which began on Wednesday in Lake Hughes, grew to 10,000-plus acres in the first day, and has grown by close to 5,000 acres in the days since.
As of Saturday, 4,570 structures are threatened, six have been destroyed, 15 outside buildings have been destroyed and three structures have been damaged.
Friday night, the Los Angeles County Fire Department stated the fire had grown to 17,000-acres but retracted that number the next morning, with officials attributing the decrease to improved infrared mapping.
“An excessive heat warning remains in effect today with max air temperatures reaching 97-106 degrees,” said the Incident Update from this morning. “Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon increasing the risk of dry lightning and gusty winds.”
Evacuations remain in effect for Lake Hughes Road, west of Pine Canyon and North of Dry Gulch Road, east of Ridge Route Road; west of Lake Hughes Road and Fire Station 76, north of Pine Canyon and Lake Hughes Road and south of State Route 138.
San Francisquito Canyon Road from Stater Lane to Spunky, 3 Points Road from Highway 138 to Pine Canyon, Old Ridge Route from Highway 138 to Pine Canyon, and Lake Hughes Road from Ridge Route Road to Pine Canyon remain closed.
Castaic Animal Care Center is helping with the evacuations of animals, housing them at their SCV location, according to officials.
On site presently, there are 192 fire engines, 27 hand crews, 17 bulldozers, 23 water tenders, 10 helicopters and 1,563 law enforcement officials and firefighters working on the scene.
The L.A. County Public Health Department announced another smoke advisory on Saturday, saying unhealthy air quality could be damaging to vulnerable groups.
Precautions suggested by the health department included limiting outdoor activity and remaining inside as much as possible.
“Children and people who have air quality sensitive conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, and other chronic respiratory diseases, should follow these recommendations and stay indoors as much as possible even in areas where smoke, soot, or ash cannot be seen, or there is no smell of smoke,” officials said in a press release.
