Fires Destroy 3 Homes, Shut 2 Freeways

Pursued by hundreds of firefighters and an arsenal of water-dropping planes, a pair of fast-moving brush fires swept through northern Los Angeles County on Wednesday afternoon, blackening more than 800 acres, destroying several homes and forcing the closure of two freeways.

The fires erupted within 25 minutes of each other, one roaring through dry, brush-covered ridgelines in Agua Dulce as the other burned alongside the Golden State Freeway north of Castaic.

In Agua Dulce, neighbors who were evacuated from a blazing canyon along Shady Lane Road comforted each other, some peering anxiously at the smoky ridgelines near their homes, others dashing back in to try to save them. At least three houses were lost in the 400-acre blaze, said Inspector Edward Osorio of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“My home is burning,” said Paula Campbell, crying as she stood helplessly at the end of her smoldering street. “My neighbor called me and said that my home is burning. I saw my husband drive back in there.”

A firefighter tried to soothe the distraught woman, saying: “It’s OK. The crews did everything they could.” Moments later, Campbell’s next-door neighbor appeared, telling her that Campbell’s husband, Gary, her two teenage boys, and an assortment of horses, dogs and cats were all fine.

“The fire was hitting left and right,” said the neighbor, Dan Dawson. “It was out of control.”

More than 350 firefighters struggled to contain the flames as winds gusted up to 40 mph and capriciously switched directions. The effort was complicated by the rough terrain and far-flung locations of the homes the rescuers were trying to protect.

“Some of these homes are way back in the hills,” Osorio said. “These are private residences, private ranches. Some of the people don’t clear their brush.”

Unusually wet recent winters encouraged brush growth in the area, firefighters said, and this week’s triple-digit temperatures created tinder-dry conditions.

The California Highway Patrol closed the nearby Antelope Valley Freeway for about 90 minutes at rush hour, reopening it about 7:20 p.m.

The Agua Dulce fire was reported to be 80% contained and the Castaic blaze 50% contained by Wednesday night, authorities said.

The American Red Cross designated High Desert Middle School as a haven for evacuated residents. But the school took in just two people, who were soon picked up by friends. The main concern of many residents, said a Red Cross official, was finding a safe place for displaced animals in the rural area.

“Other families have offered to take livestock that have been displaced by the fire,” said George Reams, chairman of disaster services for the Red Cross’ Antelope Valley chapter. “We’ve seen more offers to house livestock than humans.”

Authorities were not sure what sparked the Agua Dulce fire, the more damaging of the two blazes. But they believe a burning truck on the northbound shoulder of the Golden State Freeway was responsible for the other fire, which scorched more than 425 acres, Osorio said. The freeway fire broke out first, about 1:35 p.m., with the Agua Dulce fire starting at 2 p.m.

County firefighters called in 60 firefighters, 10 engines, and three water-dropping planes and helicopters from the city of Los Angeles’ Fire Department to help handle the twin blazes, said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the city department. Ventura County and U.S. Forest Service firefighters also joined the effort. All told, firefighters marshaled 15 planes and choppers to battle the fires.

No homes were damaged in the fire near Castaic, fought by about 230 firefighters. But the smoke and flames tangled traffic for miles as the CHP closed the northbound Interstate 5 for nearly three hours, until about 4:30 p.m. Major power transmission lines were automatically shut off as a safety precaution, said Steve Hansen, a spokesman for Southern California Edison. There were no power outages as a result, he said, because the electricity was shifted to other lines.

As ashes floated through the smoky air in Agua Dulce, 18-year-old Nate Howard said his mom and his 12-year-old sister only had time to grab a few photographs, some clothes, and their cat before fleeing their Shady Lane Road home. By the day’s end, their house was gone.

“There were flames. Lots of flames, lots of smoke,” Howard said. “And that was about it.”

Times Community News reporter Greg Risling and Times staff writers Solomon Moore, Jean Guccione and Karima A. Haynes contributed to this story.