‘Controlled Burn’ Gets Away, Shuts Magic Mountain Rides

A 3,000-acre “controlled burn” set by fire officials to clear out dangerously dry brush in Valencia got out of control when hit by unexpected winds Wednesday, forcing nearby Six Flags Magic Mountain to evacuate five rides when power to the amusement park was cut, authorities said.

Flames south of the park crept under power lines on three occasions, sending soot and ash into the transformers and automatically shutting off electrical power to the park’s biggest attractions, Six Flags spokeswoman Sherrie Bang said.

Attendants escorted customers from three roller coasters and two water rides when the power cut off at 10:40 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., she said.

There were no reports of injuries from the fire or evacuations and the park itself was never closed.

“Our guests and employees were concerned it was a real brush fire,” Bang said. “It’s scary when you look up on a hillside and see fire.”

Tom Stevenson, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said the strong winds whipped up around noon. The fire was controlled by 3 p.m.

The fire was set as part of a program of controlled burns throughout fire-prone areas of Los Angeles County, such as the Santa Monica Mountains and Angeles National Forest.

Stevenson said most of the acreage charred Wednesday had not been burned in several years, and some of it was untouched for 15 to 20 years.