SYLMAR -- Strong gusty winds are spreading a fast-moving brush fire that destroyed homes and prompted evacuations in the Sylmar section of the San Fernando Valley.
The flames, which broke out at about 10:30 p.m. in the hills above 13000 W. Sayre Street above Shablow Ave, consumed more than 100 acres of brush by 12:21 a.m. That figure increased to 1,500 acres by 1:30 a.m.
Units from L.A. City and L.A. County Fire departments are battling the blaze and five water-dropping helicopters have been called in to join the fight, Fire Department spokesperson Melissa Kelley said.
In addition to the five water-dropping helicopters, City Fire dispatched at least four strike teams and 20 companies to the scene, Kelley said. Conditions must be extreme for the helicopters to fly in the dark.
"These types of fires are difficult to fight, and at night it even gets worse," said Ron Myers of LA Fire. "You don't have good visibility. It's very difficult to see the terrain. They have night-vision equipment, but you're going from a bright fire area to a dark hilly area."
County Fire added another four water-dropping helicopters in addition to equipment and a total of 130 firefighters, County Fire Inspector Frank Garrido said.
"City Fire is the lead agency on this," said Garrido. "So far County Fire has dispatched five engines, five camp crews, four water-dropping helicopters, a water-tender a helitanker in addition to the fire personnel."
"We have three to five structures involved," Kelley said at 12:20 a.m., but the number of burned structures was expected to increase.
Authorities said the fire might burn toward an area that burned more than one month ago during the Marek Fire.
"That would be the hope because something has already burned," said Armando Hogan of LA City Fire. "That would allow us to get around it."
At 1:30 a.m., Hogan said the fire jumped the 210 Freeway at Foothill Boulevard and Cobalt Street. Hogan said the California Highway Patrol will close the freeway at that location.
Authorities said people in Olive View Hospital should shelter in place. At 2:20 a.m., hospital workers were preparing to transfer some patients to Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills.
"The fire is close," said resident Darcy Thompson, who lives near Olive View Drive. "You can't see anything outside. It's so smoky. The wind is blowing so hard."
High winds are hampering the aerial attack. A National Weather Service report said a wind gust in the area was clocked at 61 mph.
Forecaster Fritz Coleman described the community as a "bad, bad area for Santa Ana winds." He said the strongest period for the wind event will probably be overnight.
"The winds are so strong, I went outside and couldn't even keep my eyes open," said resident Hilary Nutting.
Winds are expected to taper Saturday morning. A Red Flag warning was in effect until 4 p.m. Saturday.
City Fire established a unified command with County Fire and a staging area has been established near the 210 Freeway and Hubbard Street.
Residents were ordered to evacuate east of the 5 Freeway, north of the 210 Freeway, and west of Hubbard Street, according to the LA City Fire Web site.
Sylmar High School is being set up as an evacuation center. The school is at 13050 Borden Ave. About 150 evacuees were at the center at 3 a.m.
San Fernando High School, Placement on map is approximate
11133 Omelveny Ave., also was established as an evacuation center.
An estimated 5,000 people were evacuated early Saturday morning.
The fire broke out about 24 hours after the start of a wildfire in the Montecito area. Fire crews were monitoring that fire's hot spots Friday night.
LA City Fire: http://lafd.blogspot.com/2008/11/lafd-sayre-fire-evacuation-zone.html
