CASTAIC – Amid searing triple-digit heat, a brush fire erupted Wednesday in dry vegetation in Castaic, with the flames quickly consuming more than 165 acres.
Two Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters suffered minor heat-related injuries while battling the blaze and were taken to hospital for treatment, according to the department.
The Route Fire was reported around 12 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, near the northbound Golden State (5) Freeway near Lake Hughes Road, according to the county fire department.
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Initially reported at 20 acres, the flames quickly covered 60 acres and then doubled in size by early afternoon, with on-scene crews putting the blaze at 136 acres. Cal Fire reported about 2:30 p.m. that the Route Fire had grown to about 165 acres.
There was no immediate word of any structures being threatened by the three-alarm blaze. Reports from the scene indicated that students and staff at a nearby elementary school were told to shelter in place, but there were no reports of any evacuations.
Crews in helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were dispatched to the scene in hopes of halting the progress of the fast-moving fire.
Shortly after 1 p.m., the northbound 5 Freeway was closed at Parker Road, just south of the fire scene, according to the California Highway Patrol. A short time later, flames jumped the northbound freeway lanes and began creeping toward the southbound lanes, prompting a closure of traffic in that direction as well.
**UPDATE**
The #RouteFire was balanced to a 2nd alarm fire at approximately 12:32 p.m. No structures threatened at this time. pic.twitter.com/uIPPSNyWX6— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) August 31, 2022
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