Crews Gaining Ground on Fire

Steep terrain hampered firefighters for a second day Saturday as they battled an almost 6,100-acre wildfire in canyons north of Santa Clarita that had threatened homes and forced evacuations the day before.

But gusting winds of 15 to 20 mph that fanned the blaze and sent it racing across hillsides in Saugus on Friday did not materialize as expected Saturday, allowing firefighters to gain ground.

Officials said the fire was about 65% contained and burning only in Angeles National Forest. It could be fully surrounded as early as 6 p.m. Monday.

“We could have another wind event, but things are not as bad as they looked this morning,” said Pat Boss, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. “The winds are in our favor. Wind is the driving force in this thing.”

The cause of the fire--dubbed the Stables fire because it started near horse stables on Bouquet Canyon Road--remained under investigation.

Ground and air attacks involved more than 1,000 firefighters from the Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department and several other agencies. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries and four outbuildings were burned, but no homes were lost, Boss said.

A sign taped to a light pole on Haskell Canyon Road summed up residents’ appreciation: “Thank you firefighters for saving our houses.”

“We just can’t give them enough credit,” said Karen O’Connell as she looked over the scorched hills behind her home on Shadow Valley Lane. “They stayed here, totally calm, and protected our homes. They’re just amazing.”

The fire provided a warmer-than-expected welcome to the neighborhood for Deborah and Michael Cole, who were moving in to their new home on Chisholm Place on Friday when flames burned within a few feet of their backyard fence.

“The movers were here unloading the truck when we had to evacuate,” Deborah Cole said. “They took off with half our stuff still on the truck.”

The Coles, who had just moved to Southern California from Maryland, spent Saturday trying to get the moving company to return.

“Who thinks it’s going to be you?” said Michael Cole. “The day you’re moving in to a brand-new house and it almost burns up in a brush fire. Put the odds behind that.”