The Route Fire, which scorched over 5,000 acres and damaged two buildings in August, was “accidentally” sparked by construction crews in Castaic, officials said.

The investigation, conducted by the Los Angeles County Arson and Fire Unit investigators,  concluded that the Route Fire which was sparked on Aug. 31, 2022, was the result of Caltrans work being conducted by a third-party contractor, Security Paving Company Inc.

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The construction crews were cutting, grinding, jackhammering and using other heavy equipment to install a manhole structure in the No. 1 lane of the 5 Freeway north of Lake Hughes Road in Castaic, according to witnesses and the job contract description.

“The fire was most probably accidental in nature secondary to human activity,” investigators said. “The activity that contributed to the cause of the fire was construction operations conducted on the freeway and in the adjacent brush.  It is most probable particles or sparks resulting from the cutting and or jackhammering operations introduced a component ignition source into the nearby receptive vegetation.”

View of the Route Fire in Castaic from county forest cameras on Aug. 31, 2022.

When the first units arrived on scene of the Route Fire, they reported the blaze was at 5 acres running uphill, according to officials.

The fire was eventually elevated to a third alarm response. The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) was assisted by Angeles National Forest, CalFire and other agencies under a unified command.

The Route Fire destroyed over 5,200 acres of mixed grass, brush and multiple species of trees.

The fire also damaged at least two structures and resulted in seven firefighting personnel being medically transported to the hospital due to heat-related illnesses/injuries.

Two northbound lanes of the 5 Freeway were shut down for weeks to allow for repairs and construction, causing significant traffic in Castaic.

CalTrans workers repaired a burnt retaining wall on the 5 Freeway. Photo from CalTrans.

Drivers who commute on the 5 Freeway on a regular basis are still feeling the effects of the Route Fire.

With the heavier-than-normal rainfall the Santa Clarita Valley has received in the last few months, the hillsides scorched by the Route Fire have begun to collapse along the 5 Freeway.

Several partial and full 5 Freeway closures, in both directions, have occurred over the last few months as Caltrans crews work to repair the damaged hillsides alongside the roadway.

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