Local News in Brief : Arson Suspected in Blaze That Swept 1,000 Acres Near Saugus

A fire that damaged a home, destroyed a barn and burned nearly 1,000 acres of brush in the Saugus area Friday is believed to have been intentionally set, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said Saturday.

“We have a witness who said a car left the scene at a high rate of speed just as the fire broke out and right where it started,” said Capt. Donald Scott, whose Santa Clarita Valley fire station is investigating the blaze.

Scott said the witness got the license plate number of the car, and investigators Saturday were attempting to contact the owner of the vehicle for questioning.

However, investigators from the Fire Department and U. S. Forest Service have found no physical evidence of arson, Scott said.

Meanwhile, inmate work crews Saturday continued to clear brush and extinguish areas that were smoldering.

The fire, which was fanned by shifting winds gusting up to 20 m.p.h., broke out at 3:45 p.m. Friday about 200 yards off the 28600 block of San Francisquito Canyon Road. It quickly burned into nearby canyons.

More than 300 firefighters were aided by helicopters dropping water and fire retardants, bulldozers and spotter planes from the Forest Service.

The fire threatened more than a dozen homes and ranches and burned the roof and second floor of one house in the 28700 block of San Francisquito Canyon Road, causing about $80,000 damage. The front porch of another home was slightly burned, Scott said.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries, a car was destroyed and a dog was burned to death, Scott said. There were no evacuations, he said.