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Body found in California wildfire area as blazes rage north of Los Angeles Body found in California wildfire area as blazes rage north of Los Angeles
(about 1 hour later)
As fires continue to rage north of Los Angeles, authorities released more details on the discovery of the burned body of a man outside a home in Santa Clarita. A massive wildfire destroyed at least 18 homes and threatened 1,500 more on Sunday as flames churned through tinder-dry canyons north of Los Angeles. In one neighborhood, authorities found the burned body of a man.
Related: California wildfires prompt warnings of extreme danger amid evacuationsRelated: California wildfires prompt warnings of extreme danger amid evacuations
The Los Angeles County sheriff’s department says firefighters found the remains on Saturday night inside a burned small sedan that was parked in the driveway of the residence. There was no evidence the death was crime-related, they said. Planes and helicopters dropped water and retardant on the blaze that had blackened more than 34 square miles of brush on ridgelines near the city of Santa Clarita and the Angeles National Forest. About 300 miles up the coast, crews were battling another blaze spanning 16 square miles north of the majestic Big Sur region.
The home is in an area among those ordered evacuated because of the wildfire that has blackened more than 31 square miles of brush. Another fire, about 300 miles up the coast, is blazing across 10 square miles north of Big Sur. Both have caused the evacuation of thousands of homes. Crews faced another day of hot weather, low humidity and high winds that could once again fan the explosive growth of the fires. Shifting winds sent smoke away from greater Los Angeles and into desert communities, where residents were warned about poor air quality.
Firefighters have been working a fire up and down ridgelines since Friday, on the edge of Santa Clarita and the Angeles National Forest. The body was discovered on Iron Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, just north of Los Angeles. Eighteen homes were gutted and one was damaged on Saturday in the Santa Clarita area, where evacuations were ordered as flames raged through brush withered by days of 100F (38C) temperatures in a southern California heat wave.
The area was among those ordered evacuated as the fire raged through brush withered by days of 100F temperatures. The body of a man was discovered on Saturday in a burned sedan outside a home in the city. The death was under investigation, but there was no evidence it was a crime, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
After flames driven by gusty winds swept through an evacuated neighborhood, firefighters reported that some buildings had been engulfed, but it was not immediately clear whether they were homes, outbuildings or garages, said Nathan Judy, a spokesman for the US fire service. The area was still unsafe, he said late on Saturday night. Fire officials said more than 1,600 firefighters were battling the flames that were threatening about 1,500 homes and 100 commercial buildings.
“You’ve still got hotspots in that area, a lot of smoldering stuff” and trees that might fall because their roots had burned, Judy said. More than 900 firefighters and water-dropping helicopters battled the flames overnight on several fronts. “It’s not a one-direction type of fire,” said Nathan Judy, a spokesman for the Angeles National Forest. “It’s going in different directions depending on which way the wind is blowing. It’s doing what it wants.”
“It’s not a one-direction type of fire,” Judy said. “It’s going in different directions depending on which way the wind is blowing. It’s doing what it wants.” Despite firefighters’ efforts, the blaze destroyed sets at Sable Ranch in Santa Clarita, which has Old West-style buildings used for movie locations.
Despite firefighters’ efforts, the blaze destroyed sets at Sable Ranch in Santa Clarita, which has old west-style buildings used for movie locations.
“It was a horrific firestorm,” owner Derek Hunt told KABC-TV. “At some point, you know you’re defeated and you have to step back and save what you can. We fought as best as we could.”“It was a horrific firestorm,” owner Derek Hunt told KABC-TV. “At some point, you know you’re defeated and you have to step back and save what you can. We fought as best as we could.”
Smoke and ash from the fire cast a pall over neighboring Los Angeles. Air quality officials advised people with respiratory problems to stay indoors. The flames also forced a nonprofit sanctuary for rescued exotic creatures to evacuate 340 of its more than 400 animals, including Bengal tigers and a mountain lion. Volunteers showed up with trucks and trailers and evacuated animals for about eight hours on Saturday until fire officials felt the blaze was no longer a threat to the Wildlife Waystation in Sylmar, spokesman Jerry Brown said.
Bengal tigers and a mountain lion were among several hundred animals evacuated as flames partially ringed the Wildlife Waystation, a sanctuary for rescued exotic creatures in Sylmar. Volunteers showed up with trucks and trailers to help with the rescue. Later in the day, firefighters managed to beat back the threat. More than 200 horses along with goats, rabbits and other animals also were removed from fire areas. “The fire surprised everyone and seemingly came out of nowhere,” Brown said. “But things are looking up, and officials say that although they have some hotspots near where we are, they don’t see any active fire.”
Sunday’s forecast called for low humidity with afternoon and evening winds gusting to 25mph or more that could once again fan the fires’ explosive growth. The evacuated animals were housed in three or four locations, and the sanctuary will wait at least 24 hours before bringing them back, Brown said.
Up the coast, California department of forestry and fire protection firefighters battled the blaze in rugged mountains north of Big Sur. The fire, five miles south of Garrapata state park, posed a threat to about 1,000 homes and the community of Palo Colorado was ordered evacuated, Cal Fire said. On the Central Coast, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection firefighters battled a blaze in rugged mountains north of Big Sur. The fire, five miles south of Garrapata State Park, posed a threat to about 1,000 homes and the community of Palo Colorado was ordered evacuated, Cal Fire said.
Jerri Masten-Hansen said she and her husband watched the fire creep in toward them. “We felt threatened this morning and decided we needed to go,” Masten-Hansen told KSBW-TV. Jerri Masten-Hansen said she and her husband watched the fire creep in toward them.
Her sister also left her home down the road. “I grabbed all the pictures of the kids, and then I took the paintings of my parents that had been done by a local artist,” Ellen Masten said. “We felt threatened this morning and decided we needed to go,” Masten-Hansen told KSBW-TV.
Her sister also left her home down the road.
“I grabbed all the pictures of the kids, and then I took the paintings of my parents that had been done by a local artist,” Ellen Masten said.