California wildfire spreads to 405 hectares, prompting evacuations
The Bouquet Fire in the mountains northeast of Santa Clarita, California, has burned about 405 hectares, and evacuation orders were issued for two areas as it spread. Structures and power transmission lines were placed at risk, and Bouquet Canyon Road was closed within the fire zone.
The fire broke out at around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday near Bouquet Canyon and Quail roads in the Angeles National Forest. According to reports, the blaze moved north through brush, growing to about eight hectares within minutes and to around 40 hectares less than an hour later.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said that by 4:52 p.m., the fire had grown to about 287 hectares. As the fire spread, firefighters, water-dropping aircraft and helicopters were dispatched to the area to contain it.
Images from the scene showed a large column of smoke rising above the mountains northeast of Santa Clarita. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the U.S. Forest Service is handling the incident.
