A rapidly spreading brush fire grew to 1,000 acres Saturday afternoon in the mountains northeast of Santa Clarita, prompting evacuation orders as firefighters battled the blaze from the ground and the air.
The Bouquet Fire was reported at about 2:30 p.m. near Bouquet Canyon Road and Quarry Road in the Angeles National Forest.
Evacuation orders were issued for zones LAC-E018 and LAC-E030-B.
The fire initially moved north through light to medium brush at a moderate rate, while nearby structures were threatened.
Within minutes, the fire had expanded to an estimated 20 acres, Watch Duty reported.
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By approximately 3:30 p.m., the blaze had reached an estimated 100 acres. It then surged to about 710 acres by 4:52 p.m., according to CAL FIRE.
As the fire intensified, officials requested additional aircraft. Water-dropping helicopters and air tankers worked overhead to slow the flames.
Structures and power lines were threatened as firefighters deployed additional resources to the area.
Bouquet Canyon Road was closed through the fire zone while emergency crews responded.
Video from the area showed a towering column of smoke rising above the mountains northeast of Santa Clarita.
The cause of the Bouquet Fire remained under investigation. The U.S. Forest Service has jurisdiction over the incident.
