Saddleridge fire chars 7,500 acres and burns homes in the San Fernando Valley

An Orange County firefighter pulls hose into a damaged home after the Saddleridge fire burned along Beaufait Avenue in Porter Ranch.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Members of the Manokian family gather with friends as they watch firefighters mop up around their home, which was destroyed in the Saddleridge fire in Porter Ranch.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Both the 5 and 14 freeways were closed to traffic through Newhall Pass because of the Saddleridge fire.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters mop up around the Manokian home, which was destroyed in the Saddleridge fire in Porter Ranch.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

L.A. firefighters work to put out hot spots after the Saddleridge fire burned along Beaufait Avenue in Porter Ranch.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Clifford Mangang, 80, sits at the Sylmar Recreation Center with his dogs, Lola and Nina. He evacuated his home at 10 p.m. Thursday and slept in his car until 5 a.m. Friday, when he could get to the center.  (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Blondie, a yellow Labrador, and other pets are sheltered at the Sylmar Recreation Center.   (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters clear brush and mop up a hillside along the 14 Freeway, which was closed to traffic through Newhall Pass because of Saddleridge fire.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

A Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter drops water on a Saddleridge fire flare-up as brush crews clear fuel behind homes on Via Urbino in Porter Ranch.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Fire rages behind homes on Via Urbino as firefighters battle the Saddleridge fire in Porter Ranch.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

An LAFD brush crew heads out to clear fuel behind homes on Via Urbino as firefighters battle the Saddleridge fire in Porter Ranch.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters keep an eye on the Saddleridge fire burning behind Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

The 5 Freeway is empty near the junction with the 14 Freeway as the Saddleridge fire closed both routes to all traffic.  (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

A firefighting plane paints the hill with fire retardant to protect Olive View Medical Center from the wind-driven Saddleridge fire in Sylmar.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles city firefighter Dennis DeGeeter hits a hot spot on a home on Hampton Court as firefighters battle the Saddleridge fire in Porter Ranch.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A L.A. county firefighter sprays water on a condominium on Tampa Avenue engulfed by flames as the Saddleridge fire burns through Limekiln Canyon in Porter Ranch.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The Saddleridge fire climbs the ridgeline in Sylmar, closing parts of the 210 and 118 freeways Friday morning.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Ozzy Butler throws water onto the deck of his parents’ house as the Saddleridge fire burns along Thunderbird Avenue in Porter Ranch early Friday morning.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Randy Butler tries to protect his home as the Saddleridge fire burns along Thunderbird Avenue in Porter Ranch on Friday morning.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ozzy Butler talks on the phone as his father Randy tries to protect their house as the Saddleridge fire burns along Thunderbird Avenue in Porter Ranch on Friday morning.  (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters work to contain the Saddleridge fire from spreading as a home burns in Porter Ranch.  (Patrick T. Fallon/For The Times)

A firefighter uses a garden hose to douse flames in the backyard of a home to keep the Saddleridge fire from spreading in Porter Ranch.  (Patrick T. Fallon/For The Times)

The Saddleridge fire burns in Wilbur Tampa Park near homes on Friday in the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles.  (Patrick T. Fallon/For The Times)

The Saddleridge fire burns behind homes on Friday in Porter Ranch.  (Patrick T. Fallon/For The Times)

A firefighter works to contain the Saddleridge fire from spreading as structures burn in Porter Ranch.  (Patrick T. Fallon/For The Times)

Residents evacuate as the Saddleridge fire creeps towards houses in the Oakridge Estates community in Sylmar late Thursday night.  (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters lay hose line to contain the Saddleridge fire just after midnight early Friday morning.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

A helicopter makes a drop on the Saddleridge fire as people evacuate the Oakridge Estates.  (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

A first responder stands in an intersection as people evacuate the Oakridge Estates during the Saddleridge fire.  (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters fight to contain the Saddleridge fire just after midnight early Friday morning.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Firefighters work to contain the Saddleridge fire late Thursday night.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Firefighters move out of the way of a dozer crew while working to contain the Saddleridge fire.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

A firefighter makes sure residents evacuate from the Oakridge Estates in Sylmar late Thursday night.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

A firefighter watches as a helicopter flies overhead.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Residents evacuate from the Oakridge Estates community late Thursday night.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Embers swarm around a burned-out truck trailer destroyed by the Saddleridge fire just after midnight early Friday morning in Sylmar.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Firefighters work to contain the Saddleridge fire late Thursday night.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

Firefighters lay hose line to contain the Saddleridge fire late Thursday night.  (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)