Kevin M. Gill · CC BY 4.0 · edited
The Bouquet Fire grew to 1,044 acres in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Santa Clarita on Saturday, October 3, and was 30 percent contained by 10 p.m., according to CBS Los Angeles. The California Highway Patrol closed Bouquet Canyon Road at Vasquez Canyon Road for an indefinite period.
Anyone driving through the Santa Clarita Valley or along the I-5 corridor on Sunday faces a regional smoke advisory as well as a closed canyon road. Check road status and air quality before you set out, and treat the figures here as the Saturday night picture, since a fire this size changes by the hour.
- Fire: Bouquet Fire, started around 3:15 p.m. Saturday near Bouquet Canyon Road and Quarry Road.
- Size: 1,044 acres and 30 percent contained as of 10 p.m. Saturday.
- Road: Bouquet Canyon Road closed at Vasquez Canyon Road, with no reopening time given.
- Air quality: smoke advisory for the Santa Clarita Valley, the I-5 corridor and the forest, running to 8 p.m. Sunday.
- Shelter: Castaic Sports Complex community room, 31230 Castaic Road, small pets welcome.
Evacuation Orders and the Shelter
Evacuation warnings went out around 3:45 p.m., and some were upgraded to orders just before 4:20 p.m., CBS Los Angeles reported. Orders covered zones LAC-E018, LAC-E030-B and LAC-E031-A, with warnings in eight neighboring zones.
By 5:30 p.m., NBC Los Angeles reported that some orders had been downgraded to warnings. Confirm your own zone through official Los Angeles County alerts rather than relying on the Saturday list.
Bouquet Canyon Road Closure
The Highway Patrol closed Bouquet Canyon Road at Vasquez Canyon Road on Saturday evening and urged drivers to use alternate routes. ABC7 attributes the closure to the CHP Newhall office.
No reopening time was published in the reports reviewed. Drivers who normally use the canyon road should plan a different route and expect extra driving time on the roads that feed it.
Smoke and Heat Along the I-5 Corridor
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a wildfire smoke advisory for the Santa Clarita Valley and the Angeles National Forest, and said the I-5 corridor could also be affected. Impacts were expected to be worst between 11 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, with unhealthy air quality possible.
NBC Los Angeles reported that the advisory was set to expire at 8 p.m. Sunday. Officials urged anyone who sees or smells smoke to stay inside, close doors and windows, and use air purifiers.
The fire is burning during an extended heat wave across Southern California. A nearby weather station recorded 93 degrees, 21 percent humidity and gusts to 18 mph around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service as quoted by NBC.
Fire Behavior and Firefighting Response
Cal Fire described a rapid rate of spread, with structures and power lines threatened and two spot fires burning near the main fire. Angeles National Forest spokesperson Seneca Smith said just shy of 300 personnel were on the fire and that the area had not burned in decades, leaving heavy brush.
Fixed wing aircraft were grounded around 6 p.m. because of low visibility, and the aircraft were due back Sunday morning, according to NBC. The cause is under investigation, and forest officials said it may be human caused. Cal Fire also warned that a possible drone was seen over the fire, and flying one near a wildfire is a federal crime.
ABC7 noted that a film studio, the roughly 250 acre Blue Cloud Ranch, sits near the fire. The same report put the area’s last wildfire at about 20 years ago.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Live or are staying in an evacuation order or warning zone | Follow the orders from Los Angeles County, and use the Castaic Sports Complex shelter if you need one. |
| Normally drive Bouquet Canyon Road | Use another route, because the road is closed at Vasquez Canyon Road with no reopening time. |
| Are driving I-5 through the Santa Clarita area | Expect smoke, check air quality, and follow the district advice to close doors and windows. |
| Planned a hike or drive in this part of the Angeles National Forest | Postpone until the fire and any forest closures are lifted. |
Sunday morning is the first aircraft window. Containment numbers usually move when tankers and helicopters can fly again, so recheck the fire’s incident page before you travel.
8 p.m. Sunday is when the smoke advisory is set to expire. The advisory can be extended if smoke persists, so confirm with the air quality district.
Reopening of Bouquet Canyon Road is the next signal. Watch California Highway Patrol Newhall and Los Angeles County alerts for the announcement.
Is Bouquet Canyon Road open?
No. The California Highway Patrol closed it at Vasquez Canyon Road on Saturday, October 3, with no reopening time given.
Where is the Bouquet Fire shelter?
The Castaic Sports Complex community room at 31230 Castaic Road is open for evacuees, and small pets are allowed.
How big is the Bouquet Fire?
It had burned about 1,044 acres and was 30 percent contained as of 10 p.m. Saturday, according to Los Angeles County firefighters. ABC7 later listed 1,048 acres at the same containment.
Will smoke affect travel on I-5?
The air quality district said the I-5 corridor could be affected, with the worst impacts overnight. The advisory was set to expire at 8 p.m. Sunday.
