‘No Signs of Control’ as Fire Near Castaic Rages On

The largest fire to hit Los Angeles County since the devastating 1993 Calabasas/Malibu fire continued ripping its way through the northern parts of Los Angeles County, charring more than 16,000 acres near Castaic and edging into an area of the Angeles National Forest that has not burned in almost 30 years.

“[The fire] is becoming a lot bigger with no signs of control,” said Inspector Henry Rodriguez of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

More than 1,300 fire personnel from throughout the western United States had contained about 20% of the blaze by Wednesday afternoon--enduring temperatures nearing 100 degrees, vicious interference by stinging insects and damage to several emergency vehicles overrun by flames.

The fire was believed to have been deliberately set by a teenager, who was charged with arson Wednesday.

Because of the area’s steep terrain, fire officials were forced to resort mostly to hand crews and water-dropping aircraft. Some of the truck crews were released because the equipment could not traverse the area.

Enough trucks have been retained, however, to provide almost one-to-one protection for threatened structures, such as the Paradise Ranch trailer park, where 100 residents were evacuated Tuesday night.

“We had some heavy fire there but we didn’t lose anything,” Rodriguez said.

The Calabasas/Malibu fires, which broke out Nov. 2, 1993, burned 16,500 acres. The last fire to hit the Castaic Lake watershed burned 55,000 acres in 1968.

Shifting midafternoon winds on Wednesday further hampered attempts to bring the blaze under control and again forced a shutdown of the Golden State Freeway’s northbound lanes.

North of Castaic, residents remaining at Paradise Ranch were given on-again, off-again warnings about the encroaching flames. By late afternoon, the residents were put on a renewed alert as firefighters readied for a possible second evacuation.

As it moved north and northeast, the fire also threatened major power lines, high-pressure gas and crude oil lines and aqueduct pipes.

Spokesmen for Southern California utilities said that while they have high-pressure gas and crude oil lines in the fire area, the lines are largely underground and have not been damaged by the fire.

Mike Mizrahi of the Gas Co. said the insulation on pipelines was burned off along several exposed sections, but stressed that “there is no danger imposed to the pipeline.”

Crews were standing by, however, to shut off gas to Paradise Ranch and assist with any evacuations, Mizrahi said.

Carolin Keith, senior public affairs advisor for Mobil Oil, said fencing around an exposed valve was singed but that there was no damage to the line.

Firefighters weary from days of hot, hard work made the best of their situation, Rodriguez said.

“If you can find a piece of grass to sleep on, that’s where you sleep. If you brought a tent, you’re doing better,” he said. “If you like sleeping on the back of a fire engine on top of a hose, well, that’s up to you.”

Authorities Wednesday filed arson charges against a 15-year-old San Fernando boy who allegedly admitted setting the blaze in the Marple Canyon area.

The boy, whose name was not released, is scheduled to be arraigned today in Sylmar Juvenile Court on two counts of arson that include allegations that the boy is responsible for arson to multiple structures, prosecutors said.

The teen, who was arrested Monday shortly after the fire broke out, had been missing from home overnight in his father’s car.

He told authorities the vehicle broke down on the Golden State Freeway north of Castaic, and he was walking along the highway when he decided to set the fire with a lighter, said Sgt. Heidi Clark of the sheriff’s arson investigation unit.

Times staff writer Abigail Goldman and Times wire services contributed to this report.