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Creek Fire burns 11,337 acres in Sylmar, Lake View Terrace, Shadow Hills
A resident watches as the Creek Fire burns along a hillside near homes in the Shadow Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Kyle Grillot/AFP/Getty Images
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A woman takes a photo as the Creek Fire burns behind a hillside near houses in the Shadow Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on December 5, 2017.
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KYLE GRILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
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A firefighter opens a gate to investigate a house threatened by the Creek Fire burns along a hillside near homes in the Shadow Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California on December 5, 2017.
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KYLE GRILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
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A firefighter opens a gate to investigate a house threatened by the Creek Fire as it burns along a hillside near homes in the Shadow Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on December 5, 2017.
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KYLE GRILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
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The Creek Fire burns on a hillside in the Shadow Hills neighborhood on December 5, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
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Mario Tama/Getty Images
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A resident hoses down burning property during the Creek Fire on December 5, 2017 in Sunland, California.
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David McNew/Getty Images
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A man firefighter works to extinguish the Creek Fire as it burns along a hillside near homes and horses in the Shadow Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on December 5, 2017.
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KYLE GRILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
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A man hoses down a burning palm tree during the Creek Fire on December 5, 2017 in Sunland, California.
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David McNew/Getty Images
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Los Angeles city firefighters try to contain a the edge of the Creek Fire as it moves into a neighborhood in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
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Los Angeles city firefighters try to contain the edge of the Creek Fire as it moves into a neighborhood in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
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Cindy Speir watches for flames near the edge of the Creek Fire in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
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Chu Godinez carries an animal crate containing a chicken as he and Paco Santan evacuate near the edge of the Creek Fire in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
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Dan Anctil takes a pause from spraying water on his roof to look for flames at the edge of the Creek Fire in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
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Thick smoke from the Creek Fire reduced visibility and made it difficult to breathe in downtown Sylmar on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
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The edge of the Creek Fire continues to spread rapidly in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
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People take photos on their cell phones at the edge of the Creek Fire in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
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This story will no longer be updated. For our latest story on the Creek Fire, go here.
Evacuations | School closures | Road closures | Air quality
California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles County on Tuesday, responding to a pair of wildfires – one that grew to 11,000 acres and threatened thousands of homes in Sylmar, Lake View Terrace and Shadow Hills, and another that stands at 5,000 acres and 5 percent containment.
Brown's declaration comes shortly after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared a state of emergency, which called on the governor to free up state and federal assistance for the city.
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https://twitter.com/MayorOfLA/status/938213366845206528
At a 4 p.m. news conference, officials reported that the Creek Fire was still 0 percent contained and that 30 structures had been lost. Approximately 2,500 homes have been evacuated and an estimated 150,000 residents had been affected by the fire, officials said.
Two firefighters have been injured, officials said. No civilian injuries or deaths were reported.
The fire was first reported before 4 a.m., officials said. Flames later jumped the 210 Freeway and were also burning in the Shadow Hills area, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck expected the fires to be a "multi-day" event and urged people to listen to authorities. Strong Santa Ana winds have created dangerous fire weather conditions, which are expected to continue through Thursday.
"If police officers and the firefighters tell you to leave your home, please do," Beck said.
More than 650 personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the U.S. Forest Service are fighting the flames both on the ground and in the air, according to LAFD. The LAFD rescued a firefighter whose dozer rolled over.
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Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for residents in areas between La Crescenta and Sombrero Canyon, north of the 210 Freeway. More than 100 patients were voluntarily evacuated from Mountain View Convalescent Center on Fenton Avenue.
The Los Angeles Fire Department created a map of the mandatory evacuation zone, and evacuation centers. Residents bordering the mandatory evacuation zone are encouraged to prepare to evacuate, according to LAFD.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1p4yJENK8QwSepW0sNrN2B3P8TUAToRt6
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS
Some regions that were previously deemed voluntary evacuation areas were changed to be mandatory.
- Kagel Canyon
- The trailer park in Lopez Canyon
- Arroyo Street north of the 210 Freeway
- Mobile home park top of Maclay Street
- Pacoima Wash
- Eldridge/Sayre North
- Between Little Tujunga Canyon and Telfair, north of the 210
- Between Sayre, Little Tujunga, and the 118 North Freeway
- Between Sayre Street, Telfair Avenue, and 210 Freeway
- Between Little Tujunga Canyon and Wentworth Street, north of 210 Freeway
- Between La Crescenta and the Glenoaks Blvd off-ramp/Sombrero Canyon area, north of the 210
- Between Sunland, Wentworth, and Wheatland, south of the 210 Freeway
- Between Haynes Canyon and Foothill & Glenoaks, north of the 210 Freeway
https://twitter.com/LACoFDPIO/status/938147371518586880
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VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS
- Edlridge/Hubbard North
- East of Veterans Park to Pacoima Canyon
- Between Glenoaks Boulevard and Filbert Street
- Between Filbert Street to the 5/14 Freeway
EVACUATION CENTERS
- Sylmar Recreation Center, 13109 Borden Ave.
- Branford Recreation Center, 13306 Branford St.
- Sun Valley Recreation Center, 8133 Vineland Avenue in Sun Valley
- Granada Hills Recreation Center, 16730 Chatsworth St. in Granada Hills
- Stonehurst Recreation Center, 9901 Dronfield Avenue in Sun Valley
- Valley Plaza Recreation Center, 12240 Archwood St. in North Hollywood
- North Hollywood Recreation Center, 11430 Chandler Boulevard in North Hollywood
- Chatsworth South Recreation Center, 22360 Devonshire St. in Chatsworth
- Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Recreation Center, 14201 Huston Street in Sherman Oaks
- Mason Recreation Center, 10500 Mason Avenue in Chatsworth
- Woodland Hills Recreation Center, 5858 Shoup Ave.
- Delano Recreation Center, 15100 Erwin St.
- Balboa Recreation Center, 17015 Burbank Blvd.
- Victory Vineland Recreation Center, 11117 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood
- Yosemite Recreation Center, 1840 Yosemite Drive
- Glassell Recreation Center, 3650 Verdugo Road,
- Chevy Chase Recreation Center, 4165 Chevy Chase Drive
The Sunland Senior Center Evacuation Center is closed due to its proximity to the evacuation area, according to LAFD.
https://twitter.com/libdenk/status/938189286758801409
The L.A. Equestrian Center is full, and cannot accept any more large animals. Officials at a 4 p.m. press conference also reported that the animal evacuation center at Pierce College was also at full capacity.
Chu Godinez carries an animal crate containing a chicken as he and Paco Santan evacuate near the edge of the Creek Fire in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
)
SCHOOL CLOSURES
The following 11 schools will be closed on Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Unified School District:
- Apperson Street Elementary School
- Brainard Elementary School
- Mount Gleason Middle School
- Mount Lukens Continuation High
- Mountain View Elementary School
- Pinewood Avenue Elementary School
- Pinewood Avenue Early Education Center
- Plainview Academic Charter Academy
- Stonehurst Avenue Elementary School
- Sunland Elementary School
- Verdugo Hills Senior High School
The following schools were either closed or redirected on Tuesday:
- Los Angeles Mission College, 13356 Eldridge Avenue, Sylmar
- Bert Corona Middle School
- Bert Corona High School
- Vaughn Next Century Learning Center
- Community Charter Middle School
- CALS Charter Early College High School
- Lakeview Charter Academy
- Pacoima Charter Elementary School
- Fenton Avenue Primary Center
- Fenton Avenue Charter School
- Discovery Charter Preparatory School
- Corona Middle School
- GALS Charter Middle School
- Hubbard Elementary, Harding Elementary, and Vaughn Early Education Center are being redirected today to San Fernando High, 11133 O'Melveny Ave.
- Sunland Elementary, Plainview Elementary, Brainard Elementary, and Verdugo Hills High School are being redirected to North Hollywood High School, 5231 Colfax Ave.
- Mount Gleason Middle School is being redirected to East Valley High School, 5525 Vineland Ave.
- Apperson Street Elementary, Mountain View Elementary School, Pinewood Elementary School, and Stonehurst Avenue Elementary are being redirected to Grant High School, 13000 Oxnard St. in Valley Glen
- Byrd Middle School is being relocated to Francis Polytechnic High School, 12431 Roscoe Blvd. in Sun Valley
Sylmar High School is no longer being evacuated.
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Los Angeles city firefighters try to contain the edge of the Creek Fire as it moves into a neighborhood in Lakeview Terrace on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
)
ROAD CLOSURES
The Los Angeles Fire Department is encouraging motorists who need to take alternate routes to stay south of the 210. Closures affect the following routes:
- 210 Freeway is closed in both directions between Sunland and the 5 freeway
- SR-118 at the interchange with the 210 Freeway
- Little Tujunga Canyon Road between Placerita Canyon, Sand Canyon Roads
- Kagel Canyon Road
- Lopez Canyon Road
- Foothill Blvd / Osborne Street
Thick smoke from the Creek Fire reduced visibility and made it difficult to breathe in downtown Sylmar on Dec. 5, 2017.
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Andrew Cullen for KPCC
)
AIR QUALITY
Officials from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recommended that the elderly and individuals with asthma or other respiratory diseases in the San Fernando Valley, Lake View Terrace, Sylmar, Malibu, and Santa Monica – and the surrounding areas – remain indoors, according to a press release.
The department declared "unhealthy air quality" for the East and West San Fernando Valley areas, as well as Northwest Los Angeles County Coastal areas.
A number of area medical centers have been affected by the smoke conditions.
Two Kaiser Permanente medical offices, including the Mission Hills Medical Office building, have been closed. The Olive View UCLA Medical Center has canceled afternoon appointments. According to Los Angeles County spokespeople, patients and staff are sheltering in place, and the hospital's emergency room is diverting ambulances to other hospitals.
The Panorama City Kaiser Hospital has activated an “emergency operations center” to monitor the situation. The hospital is otherwise operating as usual.
Two other major fires were burning in Southern California on Tuesday, including one in Ventura County and one in Santa Clarita.
This story has been updated.
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