Sand Fire in Santa Clarita sends hundreds from California homes

A wildfire blazing 35 miles north of Los Angeles has grown to 20,000 acres, prompting hundreds of mandatory and voluntary evacuations, CNN reported on Sunday.

The so-called Sand Fire near Santa Clarita started as a brush fire Friday afternoon and was 10% contained Saturday.

About 300 people had been evacuated Saturday and evacuation orders or recommendations have been issued for residents of 1,500 homes, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

Authorities earlier said it covered 11,000 acres but on Saturday night the Angeles National Forest tweeted that it had grown to 20,000.

Fighting the fire -- named for the area's Sand Canyon -- is a challenge, said Nathan Judy, fire information officer with the Angeles National Forest, because of the rugged terrain and the 10- to 20-mph winds blowing the fire toward the populated part of the county.

Source ; MENA