Firefighters announced Thursday morning that the Sierra Fire burning north of Santa Clarita had been held to 11 acres and they had reached 90% containment.
But despite a lifting of the evacuation orders late Wednesday evening for residents who live near the fire, which broke out near the Bouquet Reservoir, officials said that Bouquet Canyon Road, from Vasquez Canyon Road to Spunky Canyon Road, remained closed to commuters on Thursday.
Residents are allowed through the road closure, but would need a police escort, Angeles National Forest officials said in a statement released Thursday at 11 a.m.
The fire was first reported at approximately 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, near Bouquet Canyon Road and Spunky Canyon Road. Within three hours, the blaze was estimated to be roughly 11 acres in size and 25% contained.
In response to the brush fire, which was later named the #SierraFire or #SierraIC, a coalition of 250 L.A. County Fire Department and U.S. Forest Service firefighters were called to the scene, along with six helicopters and three airtankers.
“This fire affects commuters who use Bouquet Canyon Road to travel between the Lancaster/Palmdale area and the Santa Clarita area, as well as nearby cabin owners, and perhaps a few weekday recreationists,” read a Wednesday evening statement from the U.S. Forest Service. “Smoke could affect nearby residents in the Santa Clarita Valley.”
Wednesday afternoon, a mandatory evacuation order was issued along Bouquet Canyon Road from Vasquez Canyon Road to Spunky Canyon Road. Later in the evening, the evacuation order was lifted.
No injuries or damaged structures were reported as of the publication of this story.
At least five L.A. County fire engines and a battalion chief were dispatched to the area to conduct structure protection, meaning that an engine parks next to a home or building and firefighters work to prevent it from catching fire, according to Ruben Munoz, a spokesman for the Fire Department.
Air units and Fire Department water tenders were seen Wednesday using Pacific Crest Park, adjacent to Mountainview Elementary School, as a landing zone and water refill station.
