Interstate 5 is closed due to a wildfire in Los Angeles County
Because of a fire in California, a major thoroughfare in the Los Angeles area has been closed. Congestion on a major artery in and out of Los Angeles County was caused when the freeway I-5 shut down all northbound and southbound lanes.
L.A. County Fire Department reports that the fire has spread to 165 acres and is completely out of control.
The holiday weekend is when the heat dome over California is predicted to reach its peak. The National Weather Service reported lunchtime temperatures near the fire to be around 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rural parts in California experienced a wildfire on Wednesday, burning through bone-dry vegetation and forcing evacuations as the state baked in a heat wave that may not let up until Labor Day.
A total of around 4,625 acres (1,872 hectares) of hills in Castaic, in the county’s northern corner, were destroyed by the Route Fire. A fire that burnt several hundred acres in just a few hours forced the closure of Interstate 5, a major north-south corridor.
Planes were seen dropping water from the sky onto the blaze from nearby Castaic Lake while media depictions depicted a wall of flames marching uphill. It was reported that no buildings were damaged, but 94 people were forced to flee their mobile home park.
L.A. County Fire Department Deputy Chief Thomas Ewald reported that eight firemen were treated for heat-related issues, including six who were transferred to hospitals, and that everyone was doing well.
