Firefighters are preparing for warmer conditions in the coming days as they continue to battle the Post Fire, which has burned more than 15,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said Thursday .
The wildfire started at 1:47 p.m. Saturday near Gorman in northwest LA County and exploded in size over the weekend. This week, firefighters managed to stop the fire from spreading after it grew to more than 15,000 hectares on Sunday. Thursday morning, Cal Fire officials said the area was estimated at 15,690 acres and containment was at 47%.
It is the first major wildfire in the Los Angeles region this year.
KCAL News
Temperatures are expected to rise into the mid-70s to mid-80s on Thursday, with lower humidity forecast. But the weekend weather is expected to be even less favorable for firefighting efforts, as Cal Fire has warned of a “significant warning trend” as temperatures are forecast to reach around 100 degrees this weekend.
Fifty homes are still threatened by the wildfire, which injured one person and destroyed one home and commercial building, according to Cal Fire.
More than 17,000 firefighters battled the wildfire that broke out along Gorman School Road and Ralph’s Ranch Road, near the southbound I-5 Freeway, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
It grew quickly over the weekend as winds pushed into Hungry Valley Park, prompting the evacuation of more than 1,200 people at a nearby recreation area and campground along the I-5 Freeway — the Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area. Mandatory evacuation orders also remain in effect for people at the Oak Flats Campground, which is about 20 miles south on the I-5 Freeway.
Winds also blew the fire toward Pyramid Lake, and as of Thursday morning, evacuation warnings remain in effect for an area south of Pyramid Lake between Old Ridge Route and the Los Angeles County line. Residents also remain under an evacuation warning at the Paradise Ranch Mobile Home Park, which is located about 10 miles south of Pyramid Lake.
The northbound I-5 freeway near Templin Highway, also known as SR-138, remains closed, along with southbound Vista del Lago Road near the Vista del Lago Visitor Center entrance and eastbound Castaic Lake Drive at Ridge Route Road .
Firefighters worked to extinguish small flare-ups Wednesday, while crews continued to search for hot spots through Thursday, ahead of warmer temperatures forecast for the weekend.
