Santa Clarita Valley Faces Inferno Season

 

California, as expected in all its heat and glory, has suffered numerous brush fires throughout this past summer season. This is not uncommon of the area, as fires regularly occur around this time each year. Thus, Santa Clarita Valley has already seen its fair share of brush fires since the start of this hot and dry season.

Last year, Santa Clarita Valley faced a long and destructive season of several conflagrations. Especially arid regions like Towsley Canyon, Stevenson Ranch, and Rye Canyon.

In July of last year, south of the Towsley Canyon Park entrance, The Old Road near the Newhall Church of Nazarene caught on fire and spread to consume a total of about fifty acres, in a hazardous event named the Towsley Fire. Fortunately, no one was hurt, as reported by Lt. Leo Bauer.

Late last year, Stevenson Ranch suffered a large blaze, as well. An apartment complex building was accidentally set ablaze, resulting in a total of twenty apartment units being impacted and having to be evacuated. Once again, no one was injured, luckily.

Rye Canyon was also caught up in a devastating inferno a bit more recently. Devouring up to seven thousand acres, the Rye Fire affected many lives as multitudes of people found themselves having to evacuate and sleep in their cars or find a place to stay temporarily while the fire was being handled. Several hundred firefighters tended to the conflagration and about two thousand people had to be evacuated. An outbuilding had also been damaged.

Most recently, Santa Clarita Valley combatted yet another flame.  Named the South Fire, this inferno in Newhall reached beyond 175 acres.  Evacuations were forced and freeways were shut down. The 5 freeway at Calgrove Blvd. was temporarily closed and, in turn, led to extreme traffic.  Roughly two hundred homes were threatened by the fire.

 

At this point, Santa Clarita Valley is simply bracing for the inevitable and imminent fires that will soon arise in multiple parts of the valley and frequently appear in the local news, as it has done for many prior years.

Valencia High School senior Jeanie Hwang speaks out: “This region of California has been through so many fires. Each year around this time, news outlets are flooded with new alerts of extensive infernos.” Furthermore, Valencia High School junior Demi Lee stated: “I think the dozens of fires that occurred last year has made us Californians aware of the frequency and susceptibility of our arid land to the hot weather and surroundings.”

 

Angela Kim, Grade 11

Valencia High School