Evacuationsrequired for thousands due to a raging fire north of Los Angeles
Canyon Fire Continues to Ravage Los Angeles and Ventura Counties
As of August 14, 2025, the Canyon Fire, a rapidly spreading wildfire, has been causing havoc in northern Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The fire, which started on August 7, has seen some containment progress since its initial report but continues to pose a significant threat to the affected communities.
The fire began north of Highway 126 west of Castaic and quickly spread eastward, crossing into Los Angeles County. Initially, the fire grew to nearly 5,000 acres with 0% containment, forcing multiple evacuation orders, particularly in the communities of Halsley Canyon, Hatthaway Ranch, Val Verde, and areas around Piru and Castaic.
Los Angeles County declared a local emergency to expedite resources and fight the fire, leading to a unified command between Ventura and Los Angeles County fire departments. Evacuation orders have been issued for multiple communities, including CAS-ROMERO, CAS-HASLEY, CAS-VALVERDE, CAS-OAKCANY, and evacuation warnings for several others, urging residents to prepare to evacuate if necessary.
An evacuation shelter has been established at College of the Canyons East Gymnasium in Santa Clarita, with designated facilities for large and small animals nearby. As of August 8, containment had reached about 25%, with ongoing firefighting efforts including multiple strike teams, engines, hand crews, dozers, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft actively attacking the fire.
Firefighters have made progress, allowing some evacuation orders to be lifted, but vigilance remains crucial due to shifting conditions and ongoing threats to structures and powerlines. Areas in the Val Verde region have been downgraded from an evacuation order to a warning.
The Canyon Fire is not contained as of Thursday evening, despite the efforts of at least 400 firefighters, several aircraft, and helicopters. Approximately 50,000 people have been evacuated or remain on alert due to the Canyon Fire. In Los Angeles County, 2,700 residents have been evacuated, and 700 buildings have been ordered to evacuate.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger urged residents to evacuate due to dangerous conditions in the north of the county, with the conditions including extreme heat and low humidity that create dangerous conditions where flames can spread at an alarming rate. Sunny, hot, and dry conditions are expected on Friday in the area where the Canyon Fire is burning. Winds on Friday are expected to be weak in the morning and pick up from the south-southwest in the afternoon.
In neighbouring Ventura County, the evacuation zones, as stated by Andrew Dowd, were relatively sparsely populated. The "Canyon Fire" had burned around 39 km in six hours, and Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area, is near the fire. Lake Castaic was devastated by the "Hughes Fire" in January.
For up-to-date evacuation status and emergency alerts, residents are advised to monitor local government websites such as Ventura County Emergency Information and Los Angeles County Emergency Services. The Canyon Fire remains a significant active wildfire incident affecting multiple communities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Firefighting efforts have achieved partial containment, evacuation orders are still in place in some areas, and authorities continue to monitor and respond to the evolving situation with resources coordinated through unified command.
Firefighters are battling the Canyon Fire, a rapidly spreading wildfire, in both Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Besides the wildfire, reports indicate that the weather forecast for the coming days will be sunny, hot, and dry, which might exacerbate the fire conditions. Residents are encouraged to constantly monitor local government websites, such as the Ventura County Emergency Information and Los Angeles County Emergency Services, for up-to-date evacuation status and emergency alerts, as the Canyon Fire continues to pose a significant threat to the affected communities. Accidents and general news related to the Canyon Fire and its impact on the weather may be reported in upcoming weather forecasting reports.
