“We’ve seen the devastation caused by people failing to follow those orders in the Palisades and Eaton fires,” he said.
“I don’t want to see that here in our community as well. If you’ve been issued an evacuation order, please get out.”
Television footage showed police driving around the neighborhood urging people to get out.
There are four county jails in the Lake Castaic area, housing 4,700 people, the American Civil Liberties Union said.
“We have long opposed the expansion of the jail system especially in dangerous fire zones and we are gravely concerned for the safety of people incarcerated in those jails,” said Melissa Camacho, senior staff attorney with the ACLU SoCal.
“We urge our county supervisors to direct the LA Sheriff’s Department to immediately organize the transportation needed to evacuate the jails without delay.”
California Highway Patrol said the fire was impacting traffic on the I5, a major artery that runs the length of the US West Coast.
Helicopters and planes were on the scene dropping water and retardant on the blaze.
That fleet included two Super Scoopers, enormous amphibious planes that can carry hundreds of gallons (liters) of water.
Crews from Los Angeles County Fire Department and Angeles National Forest were also attacking the blaze from the ground.
It was not immediately clear what sparked the fire, but it occurred during red flag fire conditions — when meteorologists say strong winds and low humidity create conditions ripe for rapid fire spread.
Smoke was visible southwest of the fire as far away as Thousand Oaks and west as far as Ventura on the Pacific Coast.
© 2025 AFP
