Santa Clarita sand fire destroys 37,000+ acres, 18 homes

A still-raging sand fire in the Santa Clarita Valley has ravaged 37,473 acres, including 19 structures, as of Tuesday morning.

At least 10,000 households were evacuated and at least 18 homes have been destroyed in the Angeles National Forest. More than 3,000 firefighters are now battling the fire, which is 25 percent contained.

The blaze was kindled along the 14 Freeway on Sand Canyon Road last Friday, the L.A. Times reported. One fatality was reported, as firefighters found a man’s body inside a burned car.

The Sand fire has caused ash to fall throughout Los Angeles County and even triggered air-quality advisories in Reno, Nevada.

The county declared a local emergency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced it will help cover the cost to fight the fire.

Most of the evacuated residents were permitted to return home Monday night, with the exception of a stretch of Little Tujunga Canyon Road from the Wildlife Way Station to Sand Canyon Road, Placerita Canyon Road from Running Horse Land to Pacy Street and Agua Dulce Canyon Road from the 14 Freeway and Soledad Canyon Road.  [LAT] [LADN] — Cathaleen Chen