A brush fire jumped over the 5 Freeway after igniting in Gorman on Friday afternoon, prompting evacuation orders, lane closures and heavy traffic delays through the Grapevine.
The blaze, dubbed the Ridge fire, was reported around 3 p.m. near the 39000 block of Gorman Post Road and quickly burned about 100 acres of surrounding brush in northwestern Los Angeles County.
Less than three hours later, the fire had grown to 1,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Around 4:45 p.m., the fire crossed the 5, leading authorities to issue an evacuation order in areas of Gorman and Hungry Valley west of the freeway. Evacuation warnings are also in place to the south and north of the blaze, as well as in the adjacent area of Kern County.
A map of areas affected by evacuations can be found here.
The 5 Freeway was initially closed in both directions around the fire, snarling rush hour traffic. Southbound lanes reopened shortly before 7 p.m., while northbound lanes remained closed at Smokey Bear Road until further notice, according to the California Highway Patrol. Highway 138 was also closed east of Gorman Post Road.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for portions of northern L.A. County, which will be in effect until 2 p.m. Saturday. Residents who can see or smell smoke are advised to remain indoors with their doors and windows closed, an air purifier running and air conditioning turned off.
The L.A. County Fire Department has deployed around 230 firefighters, according to department spokesperson Jonathan Torres. At one point, a total of 11 aerial resources, including fixed-wing aircraft and firefighting helicopters, were assigned to the incident.
The fire’s rapid initial growth was fueled by south-to-southeast winds of 6 to 10 mph, with gusts of up to 15 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures in the area were in the lower 90s, and humidity levels were about 18% around the time of ignition.
The toasty temperatures and steep, brushy terrain initially led the fire to spread quickly, according to Torres. However, firefighters were able to gain ground as temperatures cooled into the evening.
“It’s not as hot as it was at the start, so the conditions did become favorable for us,” he said around 6 p.m. “I know we’re making very good progress.”
Additional crews and resources from the Ventura County Fire Department, Kern County Fire Department and Angeles National Forest are also helping to combat the blaze. At least three helicopters will remain assigned to the incident after dark and continue to perform water drops, Torres said.
