The Tick Fire broke out Thursday around 1:24 p.m. in the area of the 31600 block of Tick Canyon Road just south of Summit Knoll Road. With strong Santa Ana winds and dry brush, it spread quickly as it burned downhill in medium to heavy brush.
At a Friday morning press conference, officials said intensifying winds were expected to pose a “serious problem” as firefighters tried to gain control of the blaze. The strong winds were also expected to shift directions over the weekend, which Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby described as “concerning.”
“We have our bulldozers and crews in the back end of the fire putting in containment line so when we do get that shift in the wind, that we keep it from blowing east up into the forest,” Osby said.
Erratic flames forced more mandatory evacuations after they jumped the 14 Freeway overnight, shutting down all lanes of the freeway from Golden Valley to Escondido Canyon roads and Sand Canyon to Agua Dulce Canyon roads. Sierra Highway was closed in both directions from Golden Valley to Davenport roads.
Tick Fire: Canyon Country evacuations, school and road closures
Homes were evacuated Friday, in addition to orders that were in place the previous day. Some 40,000 residents were evacuated Thursday, and it was unclear how many were effected by recent evacuations.
“This is the largest evacuation that we’ve had in Santa Clarita,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. “If you think you’re in an area that may be evacuated, get ready and do it now.”
At least six structures were confirmed destroyed, though fire officials said that number was expected to increase. An additional 15,000 homes and other buildings were considered threatened by the flames. AIR7 HD saw at least one home engulfed in flames on Florabunda Road and another on Husk Avenue near Baker Canyon Road.
**UPDATE: ALL of Sand Canyon from 14 fwy to Placerita Cyn Road is MANDATORY EVACUATIONS (not just east of Sand Cyn); Fair Oaks will remain voluntary.
— SCV Sheriff (@SCVSHERIFF) October 25, 2019
As of around Friday morning, the fire was estimated at 4,300 acres and 5% contained.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for the destructive blaze in L.A. County, as well as a massive fire consuming Northern California’s Sonoma County.
RELATED: How to help Los Angeles firefighters responding to devastating fires in Southern California
An evacuation center was set up at College of the Canyons Gymnasium at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. Another evacuation center opened at West Ranch Valley High School at 26255 Valencia Boulevard.
An evacuation center for large animals at Pierce College was closed later in the evening, officials said.
Airbnb hosts were offering free housing to fire evacuees as well as relief workers deployed to the area.
Smaller animals could still be brought to the Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 N. Charlie Canyon Road.
Schools and colleges throughout the Santa Clarita area were closing on Thursday and Friday because of the fire danger and air quality.
Some outdoor structures were visibly damaged and the flames were coming dangerously close to homes in some areas.
Homeowners remained grateful for the heroic efforts of firefighters to keep the flames at bay when possible.
“Those fire helicopter guys, those are rock stars, man,” said one Canyon Country resident. “They do incredible jobs.”
“Not much you can do,” he added. “Just pray. Do what you can. Help your neighbors. That’s about it.”
Over 600 firefighters, along with four water-dropping helicopters and four fixed-wing air tankers were involved in battling the blaze.
The Tick Fire was one of multiple blazes that broke out across Southern California Thursday.
Only a few miles to the west, a fire broke out and began spreading in the Castaic area, damaging homes and threatening dozens more. Fires were also reported in Eagle Rock, Anaheim, San Bernardino and the Sepulveda Basin in the San Fernando Valley, among other locations.
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