FIRES IMPACT SPORTS EVACUATIONS, HEAVY SMOKE FORCE NIXING OF PRACTICES.

Byline: IVAN OROZCO

Staff Writer

Desi Rodriguez awoke Monday to an abrupt banging on his front door.

Rodriguez, the starting quarterback for the Saugus High football team, said he didn't hesitate. He quickly packed a few items and grabbed what he could. He and his family were off to the nearest evacuation site -- his school.

Neighbors came knocking at his Saugus home warning the Rodriguez family it was time to go. Precautionary evacuations were in effect as the Buckweed Fire threatened homes and structures in the area.

"I can't remember too well what went down," Rodriguez said by phone. "I was dazed."

It was the type of morning many Santa Clarita Valley athletes and coaches had to endure as fires fanned by gusty Santa Ana winds threatened homes and structures in Valencia, Canyon Country, Saugus and surrounding areas.

All practices and scheduled athletic events were cancelled through today for schools in the William S. Hart district due to thick smoke and poor air quality from the Buckweed and Ranch fires. Other outdoor activities in the Conejo Valley and Ventura County were postponed Monday as a result of the Canyon Fire.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke and windblown dust advisory, urging students to limit their outdoor physical activity or engaging in any team sports activities. It is not clear if further athletic events will be canceled in the area this week.

"All we can do is go through (today) Tuesday, Oct. 23," said Lorraine King, executive assistant to Hart district superintendent Jaime L. Castellanos. "School and all practices and games are canceled through (today). "We will not make any predictions for later on in the week."

In the meantime, athletes such as Rodriguez will have to wait to see when they'll be back in action.

Rodriguez is thankful he got a chance to return to his home Monday at about 4 p.m. -- this time hopefully for good -- after spending most of the day at Saugus High, where principal Bill Bolde told the Associated Press at least 120 people spent Sunday night in the gymnasium on cots.

Rodriguez, 16, his mother Rosie and 12-year-old brother Denley left their home at about 6:30 a.m.

Saugus' junior quarterback decided to leave the evacuation site and return home to help his father, Sergio, water down the house. He did not waste a chance to capture burning flames in the distance with a video camera.

And then the mandatory evacuations came.

"I was outside a restaurant with my camera when my mom called me to go to the house." Rodriguez said. "I couldn't see. All there was (was) all this fire and ash when I was trying to get home to pick up a few valuable items. I was getting scared because cops were there. You never think its going to happen to you."

Rodriguez managed to grab a family scrapbook before returning to his high school.

That's where Saugus football coach Jason Bornn and players were supposed to meet to study game film at 2 p.m., but because there were several teammates displaced throughout the San Fernando Valley and others couldn't be reached by phone, Bornn canceled the session.

"We're trying to stay positive and not get cursed up," Bornn said. "Everyone's spirits are good, positive. What else are you going to do? I just hope things clear up soon as we can get these kids back on the field. Playing football is an outlet for a lot of these kids. It allows them not to stress about things."

Canyon senior linebacker Justin Stevens and his family were glad they did not have to to leave their home.

Stevens, who lives at an apartment complex across the street from the Canyon Country high school, said he could see flames waving on the hills northeast of the school.

"We were supposed to evacuate (Sunday) but (the fire) died out," Stevens said. "We slept here but the fire got pretty close. Just across the road a couple houses went up in flames right up the street. I got some pictures. It's crazy."

Other area schools also were threatened.

Television news broadcasts showed images of a fire coming as close as 30 feet from WestRanch High of Stevenson Ranch's softball fields and tennis courts after brush was engulfed by flames at about 2:15 p.m..

In Canyon Country, Stevens said streets into his neighborhood were blocked off by police.

"I've never seen it so empty before," Stevens said. "It was really windy, ashes everywhere blowing towards the Saugus area."

Saugus cross country coach Rene Paragas had to spend Sunday night at his girlfriend's house because he couldn't make it to his apartment in Canyon Country with the roads closed. Several of his runners were also displaced.

"There were fires as close as 400 yards away from my balcony," Paragas said. "Across the street, the hills and ridgelines we run on were burning at about half-mile from my house. Basically any available brush or open space was burning. It's incredible how quickly it spread."

Paragas, who coaches the top-ranked girls' team in the state, drove some of his runners 30 minutes to Crescenta Valley Park in La Crescenta to train.

"(Crescenta Valley coach) Mark Evans was kind to let us train at their home park. It was nice with the wind blowing the other way," Paragas said. "We were protected by the Verdugo Hills Mountains. The air was at least moderate. We ran for about an hour."

Saugus is preparing to defend its state title next month.

"Cross country is not a skill sport, it's all about fitness," Paragas said. "Missing three or fourdays of training is an important thing. (Training) every other day is fine. But we try to avoid missing more. If there's bad air quality then you got to wait it out."

Pat Connelly plans to take the same approach in the coming days.

The Valencia High cross country coach said a few of his runners had to evacuate and he plans to have them train indoors at gymnasiums if possible. He is looking to travel out of the area with at least 15 runners to keep up work in preparation to next week's Foothill League championships.

"If it's still bad, and if we can get through (Highway) 126 toward Fillmore, we'll run on those hills. It's just one of those things that wake you up when you don't expect it."

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) A helicopter flies past the deserted football field at West Ranch High of Stevenson Ranch on Monday en route to making a water drop on the nearby Magic Fire.

David Crane/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Residents evacuated from the San Diego wildfires watch news coverage on screens at the evacuation center at Qualcomm Stadium on Monday.

Denis Poroy/Associated Press