News broke on the morning of Wednesday, January 22 (afternoon in Greece) in . Within two hours it swept more than 10,000 acres in an area already severely tested by devastating fires this month.
REUTERS/Ringo Chiu
Areas near the artificial Lake Castaic are being evacuated
The outbreak is near the man-made Lake Castaic, further north of the fronts that caused massive damage earlier this year.
According to local media, the areas adjacent to Lake Castaic must be evacuated.
Within two hours, the fire burned more than 5,000 acres, according to the County Fire Department.
REUTERS/Ringo Chiu
A prison was evacuated due to the fire – Schools are closed
Due to the fronts, near the 5 Freeway, sections of the roadway have been closed. Strong forces are at the scene to prevent the fire from passing to the other side.
Meanwhile, a county jail in Castaic has been partially evacuated. The prison is located just south of the area where the fire broke out and can house up to 4,295 inmates.
Schools have already canceled classes and residents in Lake Castaic are leaving en masse as a precaution. Residents head to the Valencia area, a town in Santa Clarita, which is a few miles north of Los Angeles.
REUTERS/Ringo Chiu
Strong winds
The spread of the fire is facilitated by strong winds which “run” at a speed exceeding 50 kilometers per hour.
Breaking News: Another Fire in Los Angeles. Evacuations around Castaic. Fire has exploded from 500 acres to 5000. Northbound 5 freeway closed north of 126.
— Andrew Hart (@realahart)
