Evacuations underway as brush fire burns near 5 Freeway in Santa Clarita

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -- A fast-moving brush fire erupted next to the 5 Freeway in Santa Clarita near a mobile home park Wednesday afternoon, prompting hundreds of evacuations.

The Calgrove Fire erupted next to I-5 lanes, just north of SR-14, and has scorched 100 acres. About 300 Los Angeles city, county and U.S. Forest Service crews are battling the greater alarm fire. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, according to Los Angeles County Fire officials. An ambulance was called out to the scene.

Fire officials say the mobile home park and single-family homes were threatened. No structures have been reported damaged.

About 1,000 people have been evacuated from the following areas:

• Crescent Valley Mobile Estates, located in the 23500 block of The Old Road
• Oakbridge Lane
• Wildwood Canyon Road
• La Salle Canyon Drive
• Champagne Lane
• Pine Street, south of Railroad Avenue
• All homes south of Calgrove Boulevard

An evacuation center has been set up at West Ranch High School, 26255 W. Valencia Blvd., in Stevenson Ranch. An emergency animal evacuation center has also been set up at William S. Hart Park, 24151 Newhall Ave., in Newhall.

Heavy brush is fueling the flames, which are surging through dry canyons near the Angeles National Forest.

Five helicopters and fixed-wing air crafts are dropping 1,000 gallons of water at a time on the flames, which have sent up an enormous ridge of smoke.

Both directions of the 5 Freeway were closed at times due to the firefight. The Old Road was also closed. California Institute of the Arts closed its campus in Valencia for the rest of the afternoon due to the fire.

City News Service and The Associated Press contributed to this report.