Wildfire Threatens Homes Near LA

Hundreds of people had to flee their homes from the foothills northwest of Los Angeles as a fast-moving wildfire blackened around 33,000 acres Sunday night, threatening homes and commercial structures in the area.

Evacuation order still in effect as wildfire north of LA doubles in size.https://t.co/QA90acAAVq pic.twitter.com/bOwV6GuHaO

— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) July 24, 2016

The Sand Fire, as it was called, was said to have broken out shortly after 2PM on Friday, spreading near Santa Clarita - around 40 miles northwest of LA. According to Reuters, this prompted evacuation orders for some 1,500 homes. By late Saturday night, around 10 percent of the blaze has been contained, but a pall of thick black smoke covered much of Los Angeles, threatening around 100 commercial structures.

A man was said to have been found in an evacuation area, and media reports said that the resident was found dead in a burned car. According to the man's neighbor, his house had burned down. One other firefighter sustained a minor injury, and structures that have been destroyed or damaged near the areas affected by the fire. The area where the man's body was found, was among those ordered to be evacuated as the fire raged through.

NBC Los Angeles reported that eighteen homes have been confirmed to be burned in Bear Divide, Little Tujunga, and Sand Canyon by Sunday morning, when the fire doubled in size as shifting winds fanned the flames.

Areas downwind are still of great concerned, and mandatory evacuations have been ordered early Sunday afternoon in parts of Acton on Agua Dulce Canyonroad north to the 14 Freeway, Crown Valley Road north to the 14 Freeway, and all of Soledad Canyon.

You can find a list of all areas under mandatory evacuation orders here.

Animals were also evacuated, including Bengal Tigers and a mountain goat from a nonprofit sanctuary, and over 200 horses, goats, rabbits, and other animals were removed from the fire areas.

Another fire has also broken out further north. According to BBC News, the fire in Big Sur also had over 1,000 homes evacuated in Palo Colorado and Carmel Highlands.