Updated Sunday, Nov. 3 at 4:15 p.m.
By LAist staff
Large swaths of Los Angeles County were under an "extreme red flag warning" in recent days -- a triple whammy of wild winds, low humidity and dry brush. That put fire danger at an all-time high and kept firefighters very busy in recent days. Meteorologist Rich Thomson told LAist/KPCC that this was the first time he could remember his office at the National Weather Service labeling a red flag warning as "extreme."
On Wednesday, Thomson told us that this might end up being the strongest red flag event since October 2007, when the Witch Fire destroyed more than 1,600 structures in San Diego. No wonder fires are sparking around Southern California.
RELATED: California Fires Are Getting Worse. What's Going On?
Below is a list of most of the bigger brush fires in our region in recent days:
Maria Fire | Hillside Fire | 46 Fire | Easy Fire Tick Fire | Getty Fire | Hill Fire |Castlewood Fire | Dexter Fire | Brea Fire | Soledad Fire | Mureau Fire | Saddle Ridge Fire | Palisades Fire | Old Water Fire
Firefighters responded to the Maria Fire at 6:14 p.m. Thursday on South Mountain between the communities of Santa Paula and Somis. The fire grew rapidly overnight and by Friday evening had burned more than 9,400 acres.
By Sunday morning, the fire was 50% contained according to Ventura County fire officials and hadn't grown much from earlier reports. Authorities said they believed the fire would be fully contained by Nov. 8.
The Maria Fire prompted mandatory evacuations affecting at least 10,800 people. Two structures were destroyed. By 2 p.m. on Saturday all evacuation orders we lifted.
The Hillside Fire began about 1:30 a.m. Thursday near Highway 15 in San Bernardino. The fire quickly grew to about 200 acres and spurred evacuations affecting more than 1,300 people. The fire initially was headed downhill toward the city of San Bernardino.
A spokesperson for San Bernardino County Fire said 500 homes are in mandatory evacuation zones. Authorities said six homes were destroyed and another 18 were damaged as of Friday, according to the most recent information on the fire's incident page.
House burned almost to the studs by #HillsideFire in North San Bernardino. Parts are still smoldering. Near corner of Viento Way and Monte Drive. Neighboring house also burned. @kpcc @laist pic.twitter.com/yn0fZ7UTUK
— Libby Denkmann (@libdenk) October 31, 2019
The fire was 70% contained as of Friday.
#HillsideFire (Update): Investigators have determined the area of origin. Cause remains under investigation. There are NO power lines near the area of origin. @SCE @SanBernardinoNF @SanBernardinoPD ^eas pic.twitter.com/OEBI9xZ8FX
— San Bernardino County Fire (@SBCOUNTYFIRE) October 31, 2019
The 46 Fire began in Riverside County's Jurupa Valley early Thursday morning, with the initial report of a brush fire about 1/4 acre in size.
By Saturday morning, the blaze had burned about 300 acres and was 85% contained, according to Cal Fire officials in Riverside County. At least three residential structures and four outbuildings were destroyed, while two commercial buildings in the city of Riverside sustained major damage in fires ignited by embers carried by the high winds.
Evacuation order for this fire were lifted on the afternoon of Oct. 31. On Sunday afternoon, authorities said the fire was 100% contained.
#46Fire off of 5300 block of 46th Street, East of Jurupa Valley in Riverside County remains 328 acres and 100% contained. pic.twitter.com/j05iDHU1Xz
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) November 4, 2019
The Easy Fire was reported just before 6:10 a.m. Wednesday, south of the 118 Freeway near Madera and Easy streets in the city of Simi Valley. As of Saturday the fire was 95% contained and had burned about 1,800 acres. More than 700 firefighters worked overnight Wednesday into Thursday and Ventura County fire officials said they were able to hold containment lines despite winds.
After the Easy Fire began, the fire spread rapidly west toward the 23 Freeway and south toward Thousand Oaks. Some outbuildings had been destroyed and one residential structure may have burned. The flames were also creeping dangerously close to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Authorities reported three firefighters had sustained injuries in the fight to bring the Easy Fire under control.
All evacuation orders in the area had been lifted by Thursday morning.
Crews made progress on Wednesday night battling the Getty Fire, which is burning in the Mandeville Canyon area west of the 405 Freeway. The fire has chewed through 745 acres and destroyed or damaged more than a dozen homes. Arson investigators determined the fire was sparked by a broken tree branch that was blown into power lines.
As of Friday, the Getty Fire was 79% contained and all mandatory evacuations had been lifted. Fire authorities advised that would be the final update for this fire since they were making continued progress toward full containment.
This fire erupted near Granite Hill Drive and Pyrite Street in Jurupa Valley on Wednesday, Oct. 30 around 10 a.m. It quickly expanded to 100 acres, closing the 60 Freeway in both directions and prompting evacuations.
As of Saturday morning, the Hill Fire remained at 628 acres with 95% containment. All evacuation orders had been lifted.
#HillFIRE Photos, credit @564FIRE, CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, @CALFIRERRU pic.twitter.com/dUZ1TwrnCq
— CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department (@CALFIRERRU) October 30, 2019
Late Wednesday, fire officials in Orange County quickly gained control of a fire that ignited in Fullerton near Castlewood and Coyote Hills drives. Initial evauation orders were lifted by 10:30 p.m.
Just before 8 a.m. Thursday, Fullerton Police officials said the fire had been fully contained and held to 11 acres.
Final Update on Gilbert & Castlewood Fire in Fullerton pic.twitter.com/1HCisWujAG
— FullertonPD PIO (@FPDPIO) October 31, 2019
The Dexter Fire broke out near Indian Hill Road and Ladera Lane in Riverside on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at around 11:40 a.m. It had burned 30 acres by 3:50 p.m. Authorities initially asked people to evacuate Indian Hill Road, Ladera Lane and Beacon Way as embers rained down on the area. Those evacuation orders were lifted shortly before 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
By noon on Wednesday, authorities reported this fire was 100% contained.
The Soledad Fire broke out near 14 freeway north of Soledad Canyon Rd. in Santa Clarita on Wednesday, Oct. 30 shortly before 4 p.m. Firefighters made quick work of the blaze and stopped forward progress at 30 acres. Fire officials asked the CHP to shut down northbound lanes of the 14 freeway to aid in the fight, but those lanes were reopened Wedneday evening.
VIDEO: @LACoFireAirOps firefighting helicopters’ “travel diary” for today...#EasyFire ✔️#MureauFire ✔️#BreaFire ✔️#SoledadFire ✔️ #WhittierFire ✔️@LACoFD @VCFD @OCFA_PIO @CAL_FIRE @Angeles_NF @NWSLosAngeles pic.twitter.com/BmhX4PTet7
— LACoFireAirOps (@LACoFireAirOps) October 31, 2019
The Brea Fire broke out near Brea Canyon Rd. and the 57 freeway in Diamond Bar on Wednesday, Oct. 30 around noon. It burned 16 acres and was contained by 3 p.m.
The Mureau Fire was a small brush fire that broke out on Wednesday at Mureau Rd. and Mountain View Dr. in Calabasas. It prompted immediate evacuations and the closure of the 101 Freeway. The flames were quickly contained to 10 acres, however, and both the evacuations and the road closures were called off within about an hour.
The Saddle Ridge Fire (also called the Saddleridge Fire) broke out at Saddle Ridge Road in Sylmar on Oct. 10 around 9 p.m. It burned 8,799 acres. It was more than 97% contained as of Oct. 22 at 5 p.m.
The Tick Fire broke out at Tick Canyon and Summit Knoll roads in Canyon Country on Thursday, Oct. 24 just before 3 p.m. It burned 4,615 acres. On Thursday, Oct. 31, fire officials issued a final report on the Tick Fire, saying it was 100% contained. In all the fire:
The cause of the fire remains undertermined
The Palisades Fireerupted near 800 Palisades Dr. in Pacific Palisades on Monday, Oct. 21 around 10:30 a.m. It burned 42 acres. It was 75% contained as of Oct. 25 at 8 a.m., at that time fire officials said it would be the final update for this fire since they continued to make progress on full containment.
The Old Water Fire erupted along Highway 18, north of San Bernardino on Thursday, Oct. 24 around 2 a.m. It fire burned 145 acres. It was 85% contained as of Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m.
This is by far not an exhaustive list. To find out about potential emergency evacuations from fires in your areas, we recommend signing up for your county's emergency alert system.
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