A fast-moving wildfire that started Saturday afternoon along Interstate 5 near Grapevine has carved a path south and was heading toward the town of Castaic by nightfall. Officials said strong overnight winds at Tejon Pass threatened to widen the fire's footprint.
Progressing parallel to I-5, the Post Fire had expanded to more than 4,400 acres by late Saturday. An evacuation order was in effect from Gorman to south of Pyramid Lake.
“Firefighters are working to construct perimeter fire lines around the fire flares,” according to an incident update posted at 8 p.m. “Planes are working to stop the advance but have limited visibility.”
I-5 was briefly closed Saturday at Quail Lake and Gorman Post Road, leaving traffic at a standstill and some crashes reportedly caused by drivers stopping to photograph the flames.
Saturday and quickly grew beyond 500 acres, threatening structures south and west of I-5. Los Angeles County Fire Department crews responded quickly, conducting airstrikes with air tankers and water-dropping helicopters. The Ventura County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service are assisting in the effort. As of Saturday night, 70 engines and 300 personnel were involved in the battle.
Firefighters face challenging conditions: The National Weather Service forecast increasing winds Saturday night, with ridgetop gusts expected to reach 60 mph.
The fire started as a brush fire south of Ralphs Ranch Road and reportedly jumped the road, burning an auto repair shop. As the fire moved toward Hungry Valley, park officials evacuated 1,200 people from the Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area and closed access to Pyramid Lake. Social media captured an exodus of RVs, behind all-terrain vehicles, from campgrounds packed with groups celebrating Father's Day weekend.
Late Saturday night, thick plumes of smoke hung over I-5 and officials reported that containment was at 0%.
The fire broke out as experts worked to assess the potential severity of this year's fire season. A wet winter has created a potentially heavy fuel load of thick grasses, which dry out as temperatures rise. A wind-driven wildfire burned more than 14,000 acres in San Joaquin County, south of Tracy, earlier this month.
Los Angeles County Fire Department crews are battling the Post Fire just a day after one of their colleagues was killed and another was injured while responding to a quarry fire in the Antelope Valley.
