Fire in Castaic is no longer threatening school, officials say
More than 100 firefighters are attacking a 40-acre fire in Castaic that burned close to an elementary school and has forced a lane closure on southbound 5 Freeway.
Inspector Keith Mora of the Los Angeles County Fire Department said the department received a call around 1:23 p.m. Friday reporting that a car may have started a brush fire. Crews arrived to find a brush fire that “rapidly” spread to 40 acres.
Mora said that Northlake Hills Elementary was the only structure threatened by the fire, which burned as close as 100 yards from the campus.
“The fire looks like its burning away from the school,” Mora said Friday afternoon. “It doesn’t appear to be much of a threat.”
The school was on lockdown until 2:30 p.m., when students were dismissed at the regular time, said Lisa Bloom, a spokeswoman for the Castaic Unified School District. No other schools in the district were affected, she said.
“At this point,” she said, “everything’s good.”
Mora said that the fire was burning west toward the 5 Freeway, which will provide a fire break. Mora said the wind and weather conditions are also helping the fire fight. Ground personnel are being assisted by six fixed-wing aircraft and two water-dropping helicopters.
A spokeswoman for the California Highway Patrol said the left lane of the southbound 5 Freeway at Lake Hughes Road remains closed. Southbound Ridge Route Road is also closed, she said.
ALSO:
16-year-old boy arrested in high school ‘sexting’ scandal
Grand fire costs estimated at $1.3 million; 4,100 acres burned
Kai, the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker, arrested on suspicion of murder
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
