Sand fire destroys 18 structures, burns 22,000 acres; 1,5000 homes still threatened

More than 1600 firefighters were battling the raging Sand Fire Sunday moing, which has scorched about 22,000 acres in the Angeles National Forest and Santa Clarita area on its third day, left one fatality in its wake and destroyed more than a dozen structures.

The wildfire, which began Friday near the northbound 14 Freeway and Sand Canyon Road near Santa Clarita, was about 10 percent contained Sunday and resulted in the loss of 18 structures, said Inspector Gustavo Medina of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Some structures have been destroyed or damaged in the Bear Divide and Sand Canyon areas in Santa Clarita but officials were not yet confirming specific properties.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide detectives were continuing their probe Sunday of a dead body found inside a bued compact sedan parked in a driveway in the 26700 block of Iran Canyon Road in Santa Clarita Saturday night in the area of the fire. The male body was discovered by firefighters battling the Sand fire and “at this time, there is no indication that the death was a criminal event,” authorities said in a statement.

Mandatory evacuations were in place of all residents in Sand Canyon from Lost Canyon to Bear Divide, in Placerita Canyon from the Nature Center to Sand Canyon and Little Tujunga from Bear Divide to LA River Ranger District station, according to LA County sheriff’s officials. The evacuation area included about 1,500 homes and 100 commercial buildings were threatened.

A new evacuation center has been set up at Hart High School, 24825 N. Newhall, in Santa Clarita, Medina said. The Evacuation Center at Golden Valley High School has been closed.

Firefighting resources Sunday included 122 engines, nearly 40 hand crews, 15 helicopters and eight dozers, fire officials said.

The Sand fire was reported at about 2:14 p.m. on Friday near the northbound Highway 14 and Sand Canyon Road. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Several roads were closed as of late Saturday, including Sand Canyon Road east of Placerita Canyon to 12300 Little Tujunga and Crown Valley Road eastbound from the 14 Freeway.

More to come.

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