Blaze Burns 450+ Acres, Injures 2 Firefighters In North LA County

CASTAIC, CA — Firefighters from multiple agencies were battling a 454-acre brush fire Sunday that shut down both sides of Interstate 5 shortly after it sparked on Saturday. Authorities reopened nearly all lanes of the freeway Sunday as crews made some progress on the blaze.

The "Route" fire broke out Saturday afternoon in mountainous terrain near Castaic in northern Los Angeles County. Two firefighters sustained burn injuries in the wildfire, which was still 0 percent contained Sunday morning.

Crews were working to quell the fire with both ground crews and water-dropping aircraft crews overnight, Angeles National Forest officials said.

The fire was reported just before 4 p.m. on Saturday and prompted the closure of the southbound I-5. The freeway was closed at Vista Del Lago Road as well as the northbound lanes at Templin Highway, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Two lanes reopened in both directions just after 9 p.m., Caltrans reported.

Photos posted to Twitter showed the blaze sending a smoldering plume of smoke into the air, as it burned on both sides of the I-5.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

#RouteFire (N/O #Castaic, LA County) - AA52 requesting 4 additional large air tankers & 1 addl VLAT + checking to see what S-2 tankers are available. The fire is well established on both sides of the I-5 now. pic.twitter.com/NBWbALHSyD
— CA Fire Scanner (@CAFireScanner) September 12, 2021