The Child & Family Center quickly shifted from evacuating its own campus to sheltering dozens of preschool children after a second brush fire broke out on the same hillside less than a week later.

The first fire, known as the Pointe Fire, ignited Wednesday, July 15, and burned approximately 58 acres before firefighters stopped its forward progress. 

The blaze prompted evacuations of several nearby businesses, including the Child & Family Center, as well as Notre Dame Children’s Academy and Creative Years Infant Center & Preschool.

Less than a week later, another brush fire broke out Tuesday near the same area. This time, the Child & Family Center not only evacuated its own staff and clients but also opened its doors to children from neighboring schools displaced by the fire.

Nicky Buckstead, president and CEO of Child & Family Center, said the organization had already experienced the stress of one emergency evacuation when another unfolded just six days later.

“We probably had over 170 people on our campus between staff, clients and visitors,” Buckstead said. “Within 10 minutes, we were able to evacuate everyone safely and calmly.”

While directing the evacuation, the center’s director of operations noticed approximately 20 young children standing outside across the street in the heat as smoke from the fire filled the air.

“He just instinctively knew that wasn’t the safest place for them to be,” Buckstead said. “He brought them over to our campus while we continued getting everyone else safely out.”

Ultimately, about 45 children from Notre Dame Children’s Academy, Creative Years Infant Center & Preschool and a local Head Start program were brought inside the Child & Family Center, where staff provided air conditioning, water, toys and a calm environment while teachers contacted parents.

Although the Child & Family Center had evacuated its own building, Buckstead said staff felt it was still safe enough to care for the children until families arrived.

“The sound of the fire engines and everything going on was frightening for them,” she said. “We wanted them someplace cool, safe and away from the chaos.”

Buckstead credited both the preschool teachers and emergency responders for helping keep the children calm throughout the incident.

“The teachers did an incredible job contacting parents and reassuring the kids, and the fire department got the fire under control very quickly,” she said.

The second evacuation came as a surprise after the more intense Pointe Fire days earlier, when flames were visible from the center’s campus and ash fell around the property as staff evacuated clients.

“I honestly thought my team was just doing one of our quarterly emergency drills,” Buckstead said. “How do you have two fires in six days right next to you? But once we realized what was happening, everyone immediately went into response mode.”

Despite the unexpected circumstances, Buckstead said years of emergency preparedness helped staff respond efficiently.

The decision to shelter the neighboring preschool children, however, had never been part of the emergency plan.

“That was completely spur of the moment,” she said. “Our director of operations saw those kids standing outside after being woken up from nap time, in the heat and smoke, hearing fire engines. He just knew we needed to get them somewhere safer.”

In the aftermath of the fires, Child & Family Center is offering limited-time free counseling services for affected children, teachers, staff members and siblings who may have experienced emotional distress during the evacuations. 

The center regularly provides trauma support following community emergencies, including the Saugus High School shooting and the death of a Santa Clarita Flyers hockey coach. The Child & Family Center has been doing so for five decades and is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary.

“This is why we’re here,” Buckstead said. “The well-being of children in the Santa Clarita Valley is our priority.”

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