King Fire Spreads Near Gorman, Evacuation Warnings Issued

GORMAN, California — A rapidly spreading blaze known as the King fire has prompted evacuation warnings and temporary closures on the 5 Freeway, causing disruptions near Gorman early Thursday.

Firefighters reported 20% containment of the 577-acre blaze by 1 p.m. after it began just after 1 a.m. east of the freeway near Smokey Bear Road, quickly growing to almost 500 acres.

Strong winds gusting at nearly 30 mph early Thursday pushed the fire south, creating a significant threat to nearby structures and prompting officials to close all lanes of the freeway at least twice.

Evacuation warnings are in effect for areas including Hungry Valley, Paradise Ranch, and Gorman, along with a shelter-in-place order issued for Pyramid Lake RV Park.

As the blaze raged on, temperatures reached into the low 90s, with relative humidity levels expected to drop below 20%, according to Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

Fire crews lined the closed northbound lanes of the freeway, utilizing helicopters for water and retardant drops to combat the flames.

Additionally, another blaze, identified as the Hawk fire, erupted in northern Los Angeles County Thursday afternoon. This fire quickly expanded to an estimated 50 acres near Acton, raising concerns about an immediate threat to structures.

Officials reported that teams are aggressively fighting the Hawk fire from both ground and air, with additional resources being dispatched.