Firefighters were working to put out a wind-driven brush fire that was threatening structures in the Antelope Valley Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
The flames were reported around 1:30 p.m. in the area of Highway 138 and 248th Street East, southeast of the high desert communities of Palmdale and Llano, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.
The blaze, dubbed the Pine Fire, covered about 165 acres and was 0% contained as of 4 p.m. It was headed east toward Pinon Hills and Phelan, firefighters said.
“Because of the wind out there, it has really spread this fire quickly in that incredibly dry scrub brush and light to medium brush,” said Jonathan Matheny, a public information officer for the Fire Department.
No evacuation orders were issued as of 3 p.m., but Matheny advised residents to evacuate early.
Around 2:45 p.m., Sky5 was above a pair of single-story homes and recreational vehicle whose property the fire had moved onto.
Crews worked to move structure defense into the area as the flames spread through vegetation, but by 3:10 p.m. at least one structure was being consumed by flames. That building appeared to be a total loss.
Multiple water-dropping helicopters were involved in the firefight, officials said.
California Highway Patrol was controlling traffic on Highway 138, Matheny said.
Forecasters had warned of elevated fire weather conditions in the area on Tuesday, as offshore gusts brought warmer temperatures and lower humidities to L.A. County mountain areas and the Santa Clarita Valley. But no wind advisories or warnings were in place Wednesday.
Temperatures reached 85 degrees in the area of the fire Wednesday, while gusts were blowing at up to 30 mph along the top of the mountain ridge and up to 16 mph in the valley, according to the National Weather Service.
Gusty onshore winds and low humidity were expected to linger around the fire through the evening, NWS said.
No further details were immediately available.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3uDexot
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