Watch CBS News

Smoke Advisory Issued For Much Of LA County Amid Massive Santa Clarita Brush Fire

SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA.com) — With smoke and ash filling the sky from the fast-moving Sand Fire, air quality regulators Saturday issued a smoke advisory for many parts of Los Angeles County that will remain in effect until at least midnight Sunday.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued the advisory for the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valleys, the San Gabriel Mountains, the Pomona/Walnut Valley and the central Los Angeles area.

The agency said those areas are susceptible to direct smoke impact and unhealthy air quality, and issued the following recommendations:

--Avoid strenuous activity, indoors or outdoors.

--Those with respiratory ailments or heart disease, children and the elderly are advised to stay indoors.

--Keep windows and doors closed.

--Run your air conditioner, but keep the fresh intake closed and the filter clean, to avoid bringing additional smoke inside.

--Don't use swamp coolers to whole-house fans, to avoid bringing smoke inside.

--Don't use wood-burning fireplaces or appliances.

The fire, which has burned 20,000 acres (as of Sat. 6:30 p.m.), broke out at 2:10 p.m. Friday near Sand Canyon Road along the northbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway.

The blaze is at 10-percent containment (as of 6:30 p.m. Saturday) as hundreds of firefighters battle the flames from the ground and air, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Residents are reporting smoke-filled air and falling ash in many parts of the greater Los Angeles area, and at least one building is believed to have been damaged or destroyed.

The blaze was fueled by triple-digit temperatures along with gusty winds on Friday, and today smoke was moving southeast, toward Los Angeles.

Further evacuations have been ordered in the area. Residents in Sand Canyon from the Robinson Ranch Golf Course to Bear Divide have been ordered to evacuate, and in Placerita Canyon from the Nature Center to Sand Canyon, according to Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's officials.

(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.