‘Raining fire from the sky’ Sand Fire grows to 57 square miles

As of Tuesday, the fire has grown to about 37, 500 acres, about 57 square miles – a size that is bigger than the city of San Francisco, which is 47 square miles.

There are about two dozen large wildfires burning in the western states today, right in the middle of a heatwave covering almost half of the country. The Sand Fire, near Los Angeles, has been consuming about 10,000 acres a day, and it is only 25 percent contained.

Cal Fire has been using helicopters to scoop up ocean water to drop on the Sand Fire.

Twitter @Sand Fire

Drought, winds and high temperatures
Temperatures continuing to register in the triple digits, dried brush from the parched, drought conditions and gusting winds have all played a role in feeding the fire. Monday evening, Los Angeles County fire officials said that with the fire growing at such a fast rate, it could easily spread out in one of three directions, depending on wind conditions.

Firefighters try to describe the roaring inferno, saying the fire rolls up and down the walls of the canyons, looking like a wall of flames. The canyons are steep, and it is treacherous going for firefighters in the extremely dry and smoky conditions.

The fire has also burned part of the Sable Ranch where many movies and television shows have been shot. “It tore through here in a blink,” Derek Hunt manager of the Sable Ranch told CNN as he stood on a ridge overlooking the canyons filled with film sets.

I’ve been so busy it hasn’t hit me what we lost, all this history,” he said, swallowing hard in 100 degree choking heat. “I’m going to rebuild. We have to.”

The fire rolls up and down the canyon walls, raining fire from the sky.

Twitter @Sand Fire

Good news for evacuees
The L.A. Times is reporting that most of the 20,000 people evacuated earlier this week have been allowed to return to their homes with the exception of those people living in three areas:
1. Placerita Canyon Road from Running Horse Lane to Pacy Street
2. Little Tujunga Canyon Road from the Wildlife Way Station to where Sand Canyon Road meets Placerita Canyon Road
3. Agua Dulce Canyon Road from just south of the 14 Freeway to the intersection with Soledad Canyon Road; and for one mile in either direction along Soledad Canyon Road from the intersection with Agua Dulce Road

Oliver Bates tried his best to save his home. He has spent the last three nights at a Red Cross shelter after fleeing the fire. “I only left when it got really bad,” Bates said. “It was raining fire from the sky.” He doesn’t know if he will have a house when he goes back.