Sunday, June 2, 2013

POWERHOUSE FIRE INFORMATION OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

POWERHOUSE FIRE - CA-LPF-POWERHOUSE - CA-ANF-002297 
Sunday, June 2, 2013 – 08:00 am

Acton, CA – The Powerhouse fire grew to more than 19,000 acres late yesterday evening. 
Despite efforts by firefighters, fifteen structures were damaged. Five of those fifteen structures were destroyed. The communities of Lake Hughes and Elizabeth Lake were evacuated and firefighters continued to battle the blaze through the night concentrating on defending as many structures as possible in these and other areas. Over 1,000 structures remain threatened today.

 Three night flying helicopters joined the battle and a Forest Service Air Attack. Air Attacks are in small air planes that fly above the helicopters and direct them where to attack the fire. Two of the night flying helicopters were from the Los Angles County Fire Department and the third was from the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Earlier in the day, a Forest Service contract VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker-DC-10) joined the fight and tried to stop the fire along a ridge just south of the communities of Elizabeth Lake and Lake Hughes.

The fire conditions turned extreme yesterday afternoon as high temperatures, hot winds, very dry fuels and atmospheric instability all combined to allow the fire to move rapidly through steep and inaccessible canyons where firefighters could not safety construct fire line.

Damage assessment teams will be working in the Lake Hughes and Elizabeth Lake communities to gather information about the fire impacts in these area.

For more fire information, go to www.inciweb.org or follow the fire on twitter @lacofdpio

Evacuations:
• The Lake Hughes and Lake Elizabeth communities are under mandatory evacuation. A Red 
Cross shelter has been set up at Marie Kerr Park in Palmdale: 626-536-1152, 661-433-9710.
Closures:
• PCT is closed in the fire area. Please check PCTA.org or inciweb.org for updates.
• Lake Hughes road has been closed from Elizabeth Lake road to Lake Castaic.
• San Francisquito Canyon road is closed above the Power House and below Green Valley.
Power House Fire Summary:
Size: 19,500 acres
Containment: 20%
Date Started: 05/30/2013
Cause: Under Investigation
Structures Threatened: 1,000+
Resources: 147 engines, 28 water tenders,
Injuries to Date: 3 minor
Impacts: Damage to structures and evacuations 
of local communities. Transmission lines are 
threatened. Pelona Vista Park is closed; the PCT 
is closed in the fire area.
Total Personnel: 2,109
22 dozers, 50 hand-crews, 12 helicopters, 
and 8 air tankers

POWERHOUSE FIRE INFORMATION 
(626) 574-5200 or 574-5204 8AM – 9 PM
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****REMINDER**** Every fire has the ability to be catastrophic. The wildland fire management environment has profoundly changed. Growing numbers of communities, across the nation, are experiencing longer fire seasons; more frequent, bigger, and more severe, fires are a real threat. Be careful with all campfires and equipment.

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