On Oct. 21, 2007, the Buckweed Fire erupted near Mint Canyon Road and Sierra Highway in Agua Dulce, marking one of several major wildfires that swept through Southern California during the October 2007 fire siege.

First reported at 12:55 p.m., the blaze raced across dry brush and by mid-afternoon had scorched over 2,000 acres, closing Sierra Highway and forcing evacuations in upper Bouquet Canyon, San Francisquito Canyon, and Green Valley as the Buckweed Fire progressed.

Within hours, the fire grew to 10,000 acres, destroying numerous structures and threatening hundreds more. Evacuation centers were opened at Hart and Saugus High Schools, Crown Valley Middle School, and Meadowlark School.

By the morning of October 22, the Buckweed Fire had burned nearly 30,000 acres and destroyed at least 25 homes, prompting widespread evacuations across Vasquez Canyon, Copperhill, and Spunky Canyon. More than 15,000 residents were displaced and over 5,500 homes were threatened as the fire pushed toward the Saugus and Valencia neighborhoods.

SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA-OCTOBER 22, 2007: This is a satellite image of Santa Clarita, California where fires are burning. (Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images)

Both the Saugus Union and Castaic School Districts canceled classes, and animal evacuations were coordinated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Animal Control.

Simultaneously, two additional major fires burned as part of the 2007 fire siege in the Santa Clarita Valley region.

The 58,401-acre Ranch Fire had ignited the night before at 9:42 p.m. on October 20 on the west side of Interstate 5 near Castaic, spreading southwest toward Ventura County and destroying 10 structures.

Then, the day following the Buckweed ignition, the 2,824-acre Magic Fire broke out on October 22 near Six Flags Magic Mountain, on the opposite end of the valley from the Buckweed Fire.

The convergence of these three wildfires placed enormous strain on firefighting resources and led to widespread evacuations across northern Los Angeles County.

By October 23, as winds subsided, containment lines held and the threat to communities diminished. Both the Buckweed and Magic Fires were 100% contained by October 24, though the Ranch Fire continued burning into Ventura County before full containment was achieved days later on October 30.

Several other smaller wildfires were reported in SCV during the fire siege, including the 20-acre October Fire that engulfed the Canyon Breeze Village Mobile Home Park in Canyon Country, started on Oct. 21, and the 40-acre Meadowridge Fire, which ignited the Newhall Pass on Oct. 23.

In total, the Buckweed Fire burned 38,000 acres and destroyed 21 homes, making it one of the most destructive fires in SCV history.

Investigators later determined the fire had been accidentally started by the 9-year-old son of a Carousel Ranch caretaker, who had been playing with matches near the Agua Dulce property.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges, citing no evidence of malicious intent.

A decade later, in 2017, the nonprofit Carousel Ranch, which provides equestrian therapy for special-needs children, received a $3 million claim from Cal Fire for the cost of fighting the blaze.

With the intervention of State Sen. George Runner and Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, the state ultimately withdrew the demand, recognizing the charity bore no responsibility for the fire.

To read yesterday’s Today in SCV History, click here.

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