Mandatory Evacuations Lifted For Hurst Fire In Sylmar

6:50 a.m. UPDATE: The Hurst fire has scorched at least 771 acres but was 37% contained. Evacuation orders were lifted and reduced to warnings on Thursday afternoon.

ORIGINAL STORY:

SYLMAR, CA — Evacuation orders have been lifted for the wind-driven fire that prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents and threatened hundreds of homes in the Sylmar area.

The Hurst Fire was reported around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 5900 block of Yarnell Street. Within a half-hour it had burned more than 100 acres, Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.

RELATED: Sylmar Fire Map: See Hurst Fire Perimeter, Evacuation Areas

The blaze rapidly grew in size to 700 acres by 11 a.m. Wednesday. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, 5,300 residents were under evacuation orders affecting 762 structures as of 1 p.m. Wednesday.

The blaze spread to 850 acres by Wednesday evening, with 0% containment, according to Cal Fire. As of Thursday evening, it was mapped at 771 acres, with 37% containment. Mandatory evacuation orders were lifted as of 4 p.m. Thursday.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, an evacuation warning remained in place for an area west of Interstate 5, Sunshine Canyon Landfill, Oak Tree Gun Club, north of Orcutt Lease Trail Road, south of East Canyon Mountainway, I-5 east of East Canyon Mountainway, Sunshine Canyon Mountainway and west of Ridge Fire Road.

At a press conference Wednesday, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley a major goal of the firefighting effort has been to keep the flames from cross the Golden State (5) Freeway, a buffer separating the blaze from more densely population portions of the San Fernando Valley.

Evacuations were ordered for the area north of the Foothill (210) Freeway from Roxford Street to the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) Freeway split, according to the LAFD.

Evacuation warnings were also in effect for areas of Santa Clarita, along Calgrove Boulevard and the Newhall Pass, Wildwood and Eternal Valley, according to Cal Fire.

The 210 Freeway was temporarily closed between Roxford and the 5 Freeway, but eastbound lanes and mainline westbound lanes were reopened Wednesday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol. The connector to the southbound Golden State Freeway was closed, along with a stretch of the 14 Freeway and the Roxford Street off-ramp of the northbound Golden State Freeway.

Evacuation centers were set up in Pacoima, Northridge and Panorama City. They are at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd. in Pacoima; Northridge Park, 10120 Reseda Blvd. in Northridge; and Sepulveda Recreation Center, 8825 Kester Ave. in Panorama City.

For the evacuation of large animals, the Los Angeles Equestrian Center at 480 Riverside Drive in Burbank is available, according to the LAPD.

The governor's office estimated that more than 44,000 people in the area were under evacuation orders, with 40,000 structures threatened.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the state a Fire Management Assistance Grant to help fund the fight against the Hurst Fire, as it also did for the Palisades and Eaton fires, according to the governor's office.

SEE ALSO:

Schools Closed Wednesday Across LA County As Fires Spread

Public Safety Power Shutoffs Ongoing In These SoCal Counties

Sylmar Fire Map: See Hurst Fire Perimeter, Evacuation Areas

Altadena Fire Map: See Eaton Fire Perimeter, Evacuation Areas

Palisades Fire Map: See Fire Perimeter, Evacuation Areas

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.