Santa Clarita Rye Fire Now 65% Contained

SANTA CLARITA (CNS) - The Rye Fire burning in Santa Clarita is 65 percent contained Saturday as firefighters enter their fifth day of battle. It started at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday near the 2500 block of Rye Canyon Loop, and -- driven by gusty Santa Ana winds -- has scorched 6,049 acres, destroyed one structure, threatened 5,460 others, and caused burn injuries to a firefighter, authorities said. The firefighter, who may have been an inmate, was airlifted to a burn center for treatment.

All evacuations and road closures issued as a result of the fire have been lifted, and the College of the Canyons evacuation site has been deactivated, officials said.

The fire's size originally was estimated at about 7,000 acres, but has been downsized to 6,049 acres after precision mapping was conducted, Cal Fire reported.

Residents of the Valencia Travel Village RV park at 27946 Henry Mayo Drive in Castaic began returning to their homes after evacuations were lifted Wednesday.

The fire prompted the evacuation of about 5,000 people from about 1,300 homes and the closure of sections of the Golden State (5) Freeway and state Route 126.

The Golden State Freeway was temporarily closed in both directions near state Route 126, but the freeway reopened by mid-afternoon Tuesday.

Authorities reminded residents that the Disaster Distress Helpline, a 24-
hour national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for those affected by the fires, is accessible at (800) 985-5990.

With hot and windy conditions expected for several days, authorities instructed residents to call 911 if they see smoke.

Cal Fire predicts full containment by next Friday.

The fire was one of several to affect Southern California this week. The largest fire sparked in Ventura County where more than 143,000 acres burned starting inland before reaching the Pacific Ocean. One person died in the Ventura County Thomas Fire.

The fires were fueled by erratic Santa Ana winds with forecasters issuing a red flag warning through Sunday night.

--Patch editor Hoa Quach contributed to this report; Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images