Hundreds Evacuated As Santa Clarita's Soledad Fire Rages

SANTA CLARITA, CA — Hundreds of people had to be evacuated in Santa Clarita Sunday as the "Soledad Fire" ballooned to more than 1,100 acres.

The wind-driven brush fire began Sunday afternoon at about 3:30 p.m. and growing to more than a 1,000 acres by 10 p.m. The blaze jumped the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, eating up the dry brush near Soledad Canyon and Agua Dulce Canyon roads, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief David Richardson. The fire shut down the freeway and threatened ranches in the area. Late Sunday night, the blaze was still at 0% containment.

The northbound 14 was closed at Agua Dulce Canyon and southbound lanes were shut down at Soledad Canyon, the California Highway Patrol reported. Late Sunday night Caltrans reported that all lanes were open on the southbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway and that the two left lanes on the northbound side were also open. It was unclear when the right two lanes would be opened.

County fire sent 18 engines, five trucks, five water-dropping helicopters to the scene, and fixed-winged aircraft dropped retardant, said County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Melanie Flores.

The LAFD sent a water-dropping helicopter and strike team consisting of five engines to help, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart and Flores.

Evacuations were underway in the Agua Dulce Canyon Road area, fire officials said.

L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger tweeted that there were between 200 and 300 residents who were forced to evacuate, and that the Red Cross was using the Victory Outreach parking lot at 37419 25th St. East in Palmdale as a temporary shelter, but that evacuees were being told to stay in their cars.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.