Sunday at about 3:30 p.m. the Soledad Fire started in the hills between Santa Clarita and Palmdale, burning more than 1,300 acres in a little more than 15 hours.
Mandatory evacuations were issued for an estimated eight homes in the fairly remote area.
The #SoledadFire burned an estimated 1,100 acres today as firefighters from @LACoFD, @Angeles_NF, @LAFD, @LACoFireAirOps, @LAFDAirOps @CAL_FIRE and cities across the county worked to gain the upper hand. pic.twitter.com/sCycz3JM8M
— Austin Dave (@AustinDave_) July 6, 2020
Wind gusts up to 20 mph pushed the fire through hard-to-navigate terrain, which prompted an aerial response.
Overnight, cooler conditions and calmer winds let bulldozer and hand crews gain ground on the fire.
The fire is now 30 percent contained 24 hours after it first started. There's always a chance it could start back up in a big way, but it's looking unlikely at this point.
The source of the fire remains unclear.
Hot, dry and windy conditions persist for interior areas & the SBA S Coast today. Please continue to use EXTRA CAUTION with any potential source of fire! Slightly cooler/ less dry conditions tomorrow. #SoCal #CAwx #CaFIRE pic.twitter.com/i2ehXN3Xuc
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) July 6, 2020
Expect high temperatures and strong wind gusts to continue through the end of the week. That means fires should be at the top of your mind (and really they should be through next rainy season).
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
