Authorities found the burned body of a man Saturday night in Santa Clarita, Calif., within the evacuation area for a wildfire that has grown to more than 30 square miles.
The body was reported shortly around 7:20 p.m. PT Saturday outside a home on Iron Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The man, who was not identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man's home may have burned down, the Associated Press reported.
The road is within the evacuation area for the Sand Fire, which threatens 1,500 homes and 100 commercial buildings north of Los Angeles.
As of late Saturday night, the blaze had expanded to 20,000 acres and was 10% contained.
Firefighters have faced triple-digit heat in trying to contain the blaze. More than 900 firefighters and water-dropping helicopters planned to battle the flames overnight, the AP reported.
Fire officials say some buildings have been damaged or destroyed in the Bear Divide and Sand Canyon areas, but they didn't know exactly whether they were homes or office buildings or garages.
The Sand Fire broke out Friday in the Santa Clarita Valley, burning through heavy brush on hillsides tinder dry from a subpar year for rain in Southern California. It broke out along the Antelope Valley Freeway (State Route 14) near the Sand Canyon Road exit, the county fire department said.
Thick smoke have rolled across Los Angeles and its suburbs, and falling ash was reported. The Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory due to the fire, predicting the smoke may settle in the valley overnight and cause air quality to reach unhealthy levels.
Contributing: Chris Woodyard.
