FIRE IN SANTA CLARITA TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT.

Byline: SUE DOYLE and PATRICIA FARRELL AIDEM Staff Writers

SANTA CLARITA -- Flames coaxed by blazing heat and heavy brush roared Monday through Placerita Canyon, charring about 500 acres, gobbling old buildings at an abandoned factory and sending fire-savvy residents fleeing their homes.

No homes were damaged, but one firefighter suffered dehydration and was hospitalized.

``This is scary as hell,'' said resident Gary Saenger, watching from across the road as a helicopter dropped water on flames racing down the hill behind his house. On the ground, crews from two firetrucks worked to save the stately canyon home.

By Monday evening, the fire was 30 percent contained.

``Hopefully with cooler temperatures and winds not being a big factor we can make significant progress on this overnight,'' said Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Sam Padilla.

Padilla said earlier reports from fire officials that the fire had scorched about 900 acres were incorrect.

A red-flag warning, alerting to high fire danger, had been issued Monday and was expected to remain in effect until 9 that night. The warning indicates prime fire conditions -- high temperatures and low humidity.

The National Weather Service predicts lower temperatures and increased humidity starting Wednesday.

Saenger, like many neighbors who've seen this canyon burn before, had packed a car with family treasures. His wife out of town, Saenger raced home when he learned of the fire, but wasn't sure where valuables were kept or how to find the pet cat.

``You can't panic,'' he said, though once the immediate danger was past, he was clearly relieved.

Flames consumed eight or nine structures at the long-abandoned Special Devices Inc. property near Placerita Canyon Road and Sand Canyon Road, said Inspector Ron Haralson of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. SDI, which relocated years ago to Moorpark, was a Cold War-era defense contractor that evolved toward commercial enterprise, manufacturing the pyrotechnics that activate air bags in cars. No explosives were on the property, Haralson said.

More than 4,000 acres burned two years ago in Placerita Canyon and residents Monday said the new fire consumed whatever brush the last one left behind. Mandatory evacuations were ordered late Monday for homes along three roads in the Sand Canyon area -- Falter and Diver streets and Brooken Avenue -- but other residents began fleeing the canyon as soon as they spotted flames about 10:30 a.m.

``The wind in this canyon goes really fast,'' said Shannon Bonfanti, who lives on a ranch on Placerita Canyon Road. ``We got our six horses out. I'm trying to get my cats right now.''

A short time later, the flames came close to her home.

Debbie Foster was house-sitting, but acted as if she'd done this before.

She loaded the residents' two horses into a trailer, collected their two dogs and hamster, and drove to her own home in Canyon Country.

As thick smoke curled about, Kiki Hacker, who suffers from asthma, wore a surgeon's mask. Like her neighbors, she began packing early.

``I started packing when I saw the flames coming over the ridge,'' she said. ``You never know how it's going to go. The wind is unpredictable.''

Three hundred firefighters from the county, the city of Los Angeles and the U.S. Forest Service were fighting the fire, aided from the air by water- dropping helicopters.

Local school officials said they are in touch with fire and sheriff's officials to determine whether there will be any schedule changes today.

sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com

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SCHOOL NOTICE

If the Placerita Canyon Fire -- dubbed the Cross Fire -- continues to burn this morning, school bus service will not be available today in Sand and Placerita canyons.

School bus service in other areas of the valley is not expected to change unless there is a marked change in the fire's location.

CAPTION(S):

11 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) L.A. County Engine 111 goes through flames as the blaze crosses Placerita Canyon Road. No homes were damaged, but many residents fled, taking animals and valuables with them.

(2 -- 3 -- color; 2 ran in Valley edition only; 3 ran in Valley and SAC editions only) Hand crews, above, move from raging flames Monday as the fire crosses Placerita Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. Below, residents move a horse out of the path of the fire, which created its own winds in the triple-digit heat.

(4 -- 6 -- color; 4 and 6 ran in SAC edition only; 5 ran in SAC and AV editions only) A helicopter, above right, makes a water drop to save a home along Placerita Canyon Road in Santa Clarita on Monday. The fire moved through the area, creating its own wind in the triple-digit temperatures. Above, hand crews move in to battle the flames at the origin along Placerita Canyon north of Sand Canyon Road. Residents along Placerita Canyon, right, move a horse out of the path of the fire.

(7 -- 8 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) A helicopter makes a drop, left, to save a home along Sand Canyon Road in Santa Clarita on Monday. The fire moved through the area, creating its own wind in the triple-digit temperatures. Hand crews move in, above, to battle the blaze along Placerita Canyon Road north of Sand Canyon.

David Crane/Staff Photographer

(9 -- 11 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) A helicopter makes a water drop, left, near a home threatened by Monday's fast-moving brush fire along Placerita Canyon. Below left, Los Angeles County firefighters from Station 124 keep flames away from a home. Below, a U.S. Forest Service firefighter drags a hose toward a flare-up in the brush.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box:

(ran in SAC edition only) SCHOOL NOTICE (see text)