Rapidly expanding Bouquet Fire forces evacuations near Santa Clarita amid heat wave
A brush fire in the Angeles National Forest grew from about 5 acres to roughly 100 acres within an hour, prompting evacuation warnings for several zones near Santa Clarita.
Around mid-afternoon on Saturday, a brush fire ignited in the mountains northeast of Santa Clarita, in the Angeles National Forest. Initially reported at about 2:34 p.m. on the 34,800 block of Bouquet Canyon Road, the fire quickly expanded from roughly 5 acres to an estimated 100 acres in less than an hour. The incident, named the Bouquet Fire, prompted Los Angeles County firefighters to mobilize ground crews and request five extra air tankers.
Evacuation warnings were issued for zones LAC-E020, LAC-E018, LAC-E031 and LAC-E021, and law-enforcement began preparing for possible evacuations as the blaze reached 15-20 acres. The fire was moving through light to medium brush, with nearby structures listed as threatened. The rapid growth occurred as an extreme heat wave continued to grip Southern California.
Why it matters
The fast-spreading fire threatens homes and highlights the danger of heat-driven wildfires in Southern California.
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