Alta Fire Breaks Out Near Antelope Valley

Los Angeles County firefighters responded Thursday, May 21, after the Alta Fire broke out near 230th Street West east of Neenach, west of Lancaster near the Los Angeles-Kern county line, according to CAL FIRE. The fire started at 1:06 p.m. and grew to 335 acres, the agency said. Early incident updates listed 0% containment and evacuation warnings in parts of Los Angeles and Kern counties. By 6:45 p.m., CAL FIRE said all evacuation orders had been dropped and the fire remained at 334 acres. ### Where did the fire start, and when did crews first report it? CAL FIRE said the Alta Fire started at 1:06 p.m. on May 21 at the block of 230th Street West, east of Neenach, at coordinates 34.7904 and -118.5278. The agency listed Los Angeles County as the county of record and said the cause was under investigation. The Los Angeles County Fire Department was the agency having jurisdiction, according to CAL FIRE’s incident page. The location placed the fire in the Antelope Valley area near the county line with Kern County. ### How large did the Alta Fire get? CAL FIRE said the fire reached 335 acres in an afternoon update posted at 2:38 p.m. A status report at 2:40 p.m. listed the blaze at 335 acres and 0% containment. By 6:45 p.m., CAL FIRE said the fire was 334 acres. The agency’s incident page did not list any structures destroyed, damaged or threatened in the update visible Friday, and it did not report civilian or firefighter fatalities. ### Which areas were under evacuation warnings? A CAL FIRE incident update posted at 2:40 p.m. said evacuation warnings were issued for Los Angeles County zones LAC-E002, LAC-E006-A, LAC-E006-B, LAC-E006-C and LAC-E1641. The same update listed Kern County zone KRN-152 under evacuation information. CAL FIRE said at 6:45 p.m. that all evacuation orders had been dropped. The incident page did not show mandatory evacuation orders in the updates available Friday, only warnings earlier in the response. ### What did authorities say about containment and command? The 2:40 p.m. CAL FIRE update listed the Alta Fire as active and at 0% containment. The page identified the Los Angeles County Fire Department as the administration unit and said no incident management team had been assigned. CAL FIRE’s incident page said the fire was in Kern and Los Angeles counties in its early update, while the detailed incident facts page listed Los Angeles County. The public incident record continued to show the cause as under investigation. ### What comes next for residents looking for updates? CAL FIRE said the Alta Fire incident page would carry status reports, perimeter information, wind layers and evacuation details. The agency last updated the public page at 6:46 p.m. on May 21. Residents in the Antelope Valley and near Neenach can monitor the Alta Fire page for any new status reports while investigators continue to examine the cause.