New evacuations ordered as Lake fire grows to 17,482 acres

The Lake fire along Pine Canyon Road in Lake Hughes on Thursday, August 13, 2020. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

By City News Service | [email protected]

UPDATED: August 14, 2020 at 9:33 PM PST

Fire officials ordered new evacuations for residents living in the western Antelope Valley on Friday evening as the Lake fire grew to 17,482 acres.

The new mandatory orders included residents who live west of 150th Street West, north of Highway 138, south of Avenue A, and east of 200th Street West, officials said. The evacuation zone includes areas near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve.

As the Lake fire grew by 6,000 acres by Friday evening, officials said the blaze destroyed an additional 16 structures, bringing the total to 21 structures lost to flames, also damaging four others.

A burned home is seen in the background Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, as a firefighter douses a smoldering tree stump on Pine Canyon Road during the battle against the Lake fire near Lake Hughes. (Photo by Mike Meadows/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)

Fire Helicopters battle a brush fire that quickly spread and scorched 10,000+ acres near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest, Lake Hughes, CA, Aug 12,2020. The Lake Fire was reported about 3:45 p.m. near the intersection of North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Flames spread rapidly in pines trees and dry brush amid hot temperatures, consuming thousands of acres in a few short hours. Containment was still listed at 0% Wednesday evening hours after it began Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing photographer

Air tankers make drops as a brush fire that quickly spread and scorched 10,000+ acres near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest, Lake Hughes, CA, Aug 12,2020. The Lake Fire was reported about 3:45 p.m. near the intersection of North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Flames spread rapidly in pines trees and dry brush amid hot temperatures, consuming thousands of acres in a few short hours. Containment was still listed at 0% Wednesday evening hours after it began Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing photographer

The Lake fire glows as night as night falls column of thick smoke is seen Wednesday as the brush fire that quickly spread and scorched 10,000+ acres near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest, Lake Hughes, CA, Aug 12,2020. The Lake Fire was reported about 3:45 p.m. near the intersection of North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Flames spread rapidly in pines trees and dry brush amid hot temperatures, consuming thousands of acres in a few short hours. Containment was still listed at 0% Wednesday evening hours after it began Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing photographer

A huge column of thick smoke is seen for miles as firefighters on Wednesday afternoon battle a brush fire that quickly spread and scorched 10,000+ acres near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest, Lake Hughes, CA, Aug 12,2020. The Lake Fire was reported about 3:45 p.m. near the intersection of North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Flames spread rapidly in pines trees and dry brush amid hot temperatures, consuming thousands of acres in a few short hours. Containment was still listed at 0% Wednesday evening hours after it began Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing photographer

Boaters evac Castaic Lake as a huge column of thick smoke is seen for miles as firefighters on Wednesday afternoon battle a brush fire that quickly spread and scorched 10,000+ acres near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest, Lake Hughes, CA, Aug 12,2020. The Lake Fire was reported about 3:45 p.m. near the intersection of North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Flames spread rapidly in pines trees and dry brush amid hot temperatures, consuming thousands of acres in a few short hours. Containment was still listed at 0% Wednesday evening hours after it began Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing photographer

Air tankers fly around the thick smoke as a brush fire that quickly spread and scorched 10,000+ acres near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest, Lake Hughes, CA, Aug 12,2020. The Lake Fire was reported about 3:45 p.m. near the intersection of North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Flames spread rapidly in pines trees and dry brush amid hot temperatures, consuming thousands of acres in a few short hours. Containment was still listed at 0% Wednesday evening hours after it began Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing photographer

LA county fire strike teams get ready to head into the huge column of thick smoke as firefighters on Wednesday afternoon battle a brush fire that quickly spread and scorched 10,000+ acres near Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest, Lake Hughes, CA, Aug 12,2020. The Lake Fire was reported about 3:45 p.m. near the intersection of North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Flames spread rapidly in pines trees and dry brush amid hot temperatures, consuming thousands of acres in a few short hours. Containment was still listed at 0% Wednesday evening hours after it began Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing photographer

1 of 101

Expand

Crews were able to take advantage of improved fire weather conditions Thursday with slightly lower temperatures and moisture from the former hurricane Elida moving across the area, the department said.

“Current objectives include keeping the fire north of Castaic Lake, south of Highway 138, east of Red Rock Mountain and west of Tule Ridge,” the department said.

MAP: This is where the Lake fire is burning north of Castaic, and these areas are under mandatory evacuation

The fire was reported about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday near North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road in the Angeles National Forest and was 12% contained as of 7 a.m. Friday, according to the U.S. Forest Service, which was battling the blaze with Los Angeles County Fire Department crews and assistance from the Los Angeles, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Monterey Park, Long Beach and Santa Monica fire departments.

Smoke from the #LakeFire & #RanchFire has caused unhealthy air quality in these areas:
•Santa Clarita Valley
•San Gabriel Mountains
•West San Gabriel Valley
•East San Gabriel Valley
•Pomona-Walnut Valley
•South San Gabriel Valley

Stay indoors as much as possible. pic.twitter.com/3TY7Lauwmo

— Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) August 14, 2020

As the destruction toll rose to 21 structures lost, 5,420 others remained threatened by the blaze, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. No injuries have been reported.

“There have been areas of this fire that have not burned in decades, (and) it’s in inaccessible terrain, which has added to the complexity of the fire,” said Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Daryl Osby.

Although some structures were lost, a number of structures were saved by firefighters, he said.

“It’s going to be a hot, dry summer — and it’s going to be a very, very hot, dry weekend,” Osby said.

On Wednesday, the fire west of Palmdale had a “rapid rate of spread,” amid temperatures in the mid-90s, low humidity and gusty winds, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The forest service and county fire departments quickly called in second-alarm responses.

The fire was entirely on federal land, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for the area east of Ridge Route Road, west of Lake Hughes Road, north of Pine Canyon Road and Lake Hughes Road, and south of state Route 138, said Los Angeles County sheriff’s Capt. Ron Shaffer of the Palmdale Station.

By Friday evening, the evacuation zone had expanded.

More than 100 structures were affected in the evacuation area, including primary residences and outbuildings, in the communities of Lake Hughes and Pine Canyon, officials said.

Evacuation centers were set up for displaced residents at Highland High School in Palmdale and the Castaic Sports Complex.

“In this evacuation, unfortunately because of COVID protocols, a shelter is not actually established, people will have to stay in their cars,” Shaffer said earlier. People staying in their cars at a center are allowed to have small animals with them.

Animal boarding was made available at Castaic Animal Care Center, Lancaster Animal Care Center, Palmdale Animal Care Center and the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, according to the American Red Cross Los Angeles.

San Francisquito Canyon Road was closed from Stater Lane to Spunky Canyon Thursday evening, as well as Three Points Road from State Route 138 to Pine Canyon.

More than 1,500 firefighters, along with three helicopters, five water tenders, and 173 engines, were assigned to the firefighting effort.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Originally Published: August 14, 2020 at 8:28 AM PST