A fast-moving brush fire, dubbed the Pointe Fire, broke out Wednesday afternoon in the Santa Clarita area of Los Angeles County, threatening nearby homes and forcing evacuations as Southern California experienced the hottest day of a severe summer heat wave.
The blaze ignited shortly after 1 p.m. near 21380 Centre Pointe Parkway. Firefighters were dispatched at 1:40 p.m., and a second alarm was requested at 2:08 p.m. as the fire grew.
By the time of the second alarm, the fire had spread and placed structures in the vicinity at risk. It had burned an estimated five acres and was at zero containment as crews worked to stop its advance. Authorities issued an evacuation warning for zone SCL-CARLBOYER.
The emergency occurred while much of Southern California remained under an Extreme Heat Warning. Wednesday marked the peak of the ongoing heat wave in the region, with high temperatures intensifying the fire conditions.