Updated

Updated · NBC Los Angeles · Aug 9

10-Acre Tasha Fire Forces Santa Clarita Evacuations as Deputies Seek Car Near Ignition Point

Updated

Updated · NBC Los Angeles · Aug 9

10-Acre Tasha Fire Forces Santa Clarita Evacuations as Deputies Seek Car Near Ignition Point

Q: With three fires striking Santa Clarita in just 24 hours, what sparked the Tasha blaze amid soaring temperatures?

The cause of the Tasha Fire had not been officially determined, but investigators were focusing on two possible leads: a firework and a vehicle seen near the ignition point. Officials said the blaze broke out Saturday near Sierra Highway south of Needham Ranch Parkway in the Newhall Pass area during extreme heat and very dry conditions. Los Angeles County Fire reported the cause was under investigation, and one public update said the fire may have been sparked by a firework. At the same time, sheriff’s deputies were reported to be searching for a car believed to have been in the immediate area when the fire started. What is clear is that the weather likely helped the fire spread quickly, not necessarily start it. The Santa Clarita Valley was under a heat advisory, with hot, dry conditions and elevated wildfire danger across the region. In steep terrain packed with thick brush and oak trees, even a small ignition source could have rapidly turned into a brush fire. So, amid the string of three fires in 24 hours, the Tasha blaze appears to have been triggered by an as-yet-unconfirmed ignition source, with fireworks and a nearby vehicle both part of the active investigation. Officials had not announced a confirmed spark at the time of reporting.

3 articles · Updated · NBC Los Angeles · Aug 9

Evacuation orders hit areas near Eternal Valley and Calgrove after the Tasha Fire burned 10 acres near Sierra Highway and Newhall Pass on Saturday evening.
Ground crews fought the brush fire on steep terrain while aircraft dropped red retardant, with surrounding neighborhoods placed under evacuation warnings.
Los Angeles County Fire and sheriff's deputies are investigating the cause, and deputies were looking for a car believed to have been in the immediate area when the fire started.
The blaze was first reported shortly before 6 p.m. and had grown from earlier estimates of 5 to 6 acres, marking another wildfire flare-up in the Santa Clarita Valley.