An air tanker makes a drop on the Route fire along the I-5 freeway in Castaic, CA Wednesday, August 31, 2022. The fire burned more than 5,000 acres last week and closed the north and southbound Golden State Freeway. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Firefighters laboring under intense heat continued making dogged progress against a large brush fire in the Castaic area, with containment up to 96% on Sunday evening, Sept. 4.
The Route Fire, which began around noon Wednesday alongside the 5 Freeway north of Lake Hughes Road, has burned 5,208 acres, destroyed two structures and led to seven heat-related firefighter injuries.
Cal Fire reported a 91% containment figure Sunday morning, and updated to 96% Sunday night. The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Angeles National Forest were working as a unified command, with 248 personnel battling the fire Sunday, down from 467 a day earlier.
Cal Fire, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol were also assisting.
The two right lanes of the northbound 5 Freeway between Lake Hughes Road and Templin Highway were expected to stay closed though the holiday weekend, Caltrans reported. Retaining walls burned, and structural engineers must inspect wall integrity before any load is put on lanes, Caltrans said.
Ridge Route Road remained closed between Templin Highway and Pine Crest Place to all but local access and emergency crews.
The fire threatened 500 homes at one point last week, and briefly caused some areas to be evacuated Wednesday and Thursday.
The seven firefighters who suffered heat-related injuries Wednesday have all been released from the hospital and were “doing well,” authorities said.
There were no reports of any other injuries.
One home along Ridge Route was destroyed, and a separate outbuilding in a different location was damaged, Angeles National Forest Fire Chief Robert Garcia said Thursday.
Originally published at City News Service