Stevenson Ranch residents to be allowed to return home, but blaze still burning

About 2,000 residents evacuated from the Stevenson Ranch area of the Santa Clarita Valley to escape a brush fire were allowed to return home Saturday evening as firefighters made progress in controlling the blaze, authorities said.

Residents with identification were allowed to begin heading home from 9:30 p.m., said Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Roland Sprewell.

“We’re still trying to get containment, but we feel that we have sufficient control over those areas nearest the homes to go and repopulate areas,” he said.

The blaze scorched at least 800 acres. About 700 homes were evacuated, but no structures were burned. The county fire agency said that 15% of the Sage fire was contained by 9:30 p.m.

About 1,200 firefighters — assisted by four helicopters dropping flame retardant — battled the blaze and worked to create a barrier around homes that were threatened, said Inspector Gustavo Medina of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The fire was reported shortly after noon. Television news outlets reported that the blaze was started by a car that had gone over an embankment, but Sprewell said he could not confirm the exact cause, which was still under investigation.

County fire officials reported that three firefighters, including two inmates battling the blaze, suffered minor injuries.

Temperatures in the area registered 88 degrees at 3 p.m., with wind gusts of about 25 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Firefighters planned to continue working overnight to control the blaze. Temperatures were expected to drop to around 60 in the Santa Clarita Valley area overnight before climbing into the high 80s on Sunday, with winds of 10 to 20 mph, the service said.

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Cal Fire-San Diego firefighter Capt. Angel Hendrieat the Sage fire on Sunday.

  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles County firefighter Joseph Valencia works on Sunday to mop up a portion of the Sage fire that officials say threatened 700 homes in Stevenson Ranch and is 20% contained in Santa Clarita. Evacuations have been lifted, but officials are monitoring hot spots as the hot, dry afternoon winds pick up.

  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles County firefighter Joseph Valencia works in Santa Clarita on Sunday to mop up a portion of the Sage fire, which has burned 800 acres, according to officials.

  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Former firefighter Jared Yochim throws dirt on fire spots near Sagecrest Circle as a fire burns through Newhall, CA.

  (Harrison Hill / Los Angeles Times)

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Heather Han evacuates her Newhall home as a wildfire burns nearby.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Sagecrest Circle resident Harrison Koury, 16, shovels dirt onto burning spots in the backyard of his home as a brushfire burned through the neighborhood.

  (Harrison Hill / Los Angeles Times)

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A fast-moving wildfire threatens homes on Sagecrest Circle in Newhall on Saturday. Several hundred homes have been evacuated.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Retardant covers a home as a fire burns through Newhall, CA.

  (Harrison Hill / Los Angeles Times)

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Jason Viger of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department rushes with a garden hose to water down a hot spot that threatens a home on Coriander Court.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Residents evacuate a home on Coriander Court in Newhall on Saturday as smoke from a fast-moving blaze engulfs homes.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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LA County Sheriff Jason Viger hoses down a hot spot as fire threatens a home on Coriander Ct. as a fast moving brush fire forces evacuations in the neighborhood.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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A water-dropping helicopter hovers near Sagecrest Circle.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“We are having to battle with Mother Nature,” Medina said. “The winds are blowing and the terrain is challenging. The firefighters are in dense, heavy brush, and after a five-year drought, all this vegetation is prime and ready to burn.”

Fire officials said the focus on Saturday was on containment. A DC-10 aircraft helped during the day by dropping retardant near the fire’s perimeter, Sprewell said.

“We try get a line around it and keep it away from homes,” he said. “There is some pretty tough terrain up in there that firefighters can’t get up to -- that’s why you’ve seen so many aerial efforts.”

Smoke could be seen drifting over Interstate 5, but the fire did not force its closure.

Sheriff’s officials asked residents near the area to remain vigilant and prepare in case they needed to be evacuated. Residents were reminded to bring medications, important documents and emergency supplies in case evacuees have to stay away from their homes for a prolonged period.

Times staff writer Jack Leonard contributed to this report.

ben.poston@latimes.com

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UPDATES:

10:36 p.m.: This story was updated with some minor rewriting.

9:33 p.m.: This story was updated to add that evacuees are expected to be allowed to return home starting this evening.

8:22 p.m.: This story was updated with new information about the fire and evacuations.

7:19 p.m.: This story has been updated with new information about acres burned and percentage of the fire contained.

6:39 p.m.: This story has been updated with new information about evacuations and injuries to firefighters.

5:50 p.m.: This story has been updated with new information about acres burned, evacuations and a quote from a fire official.

5:11 p.m.: This story has been updated with new information about evacuations and weather conditions.

4:14 p.m.: This story has been updated with new information about areas being evacuated.

3:32 p.m.: This story has been updated with new information about the number of acres burned.

2:56 p.m.: This story was updated with new information about evacuations.

1:55 p.m.: This story has been updated with new details about evacuations and the number of acres burned.

This article was originally published at 1:02 p.m.