Small fire erupts along 14 Freeway in Santa Clarita
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - A small fire broke out Wednesday along the 14 Freeway in the Santa Clarita area as a sweltering late-season heat wave triggered excessive heat warnings across Southern California.
Officials said the fire erupted between Newhall and Placerita Canyon Road along the northbound side of the freeway.
Firefighters with the Los Angeles County Fire Department as well as the Angeles National Forest responded to battle the blaze.
Crews stopped the fire at approximately 10 acres.
Around 11 a.m., authorities issued a SigAlert in Santa Clarita for northbound State Route 14 at Newhall Avenue, where the third and fourth lanes, along with the Newhall Avenue onramp to northbound SR-14, will be closed for about six hours due to the fire.
Drivers in the area are advised to exercise extreme caution as firefighters continue to work roadside to clean up.
The fire comes as a late-season heat wave spread over the region Wednesday and promised to push temperatures into the triple-digits for the rest of the week.
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The relentless heat and dry conditions heighten the susceptibility of the region to wildfires, a common threat in California's climate. As vegetation becomes parched and more combustible under these extreme temperatures, the probability of fires igniting and spreading rapidly increases, particularly in mountainous and valley areas. Fire departments are on high alert, ready to battle any blazes that could be exacerbated by the heat wave's intense and unforgiving conditions.