California Lake Closes Until Further Notice

A popular lake in southern California is closed until further notice because of wildfires raging along the lake's northern border.

The Post Fire has been burning for nearly a week after igniting last Saturday. In that time, flames have consumed 15,690 acres of land in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Firefighters have the blaze 61 percent contained and continue to make progress in suppression efforts, according to a recent update from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

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However, the fire is still affecting nearby areas, including Pyramid Lake. On Thursday afternoon, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued a message on X, formerly Twitter, alerting the public that Pyramid Lake was closed "through the weekend until further notice."

"As firefighting continues due to #fires in LA County, Pyramid Lake, Los Alamos Campground, & Vista del Lago Visitors Center will remain closed through the weekend until further notice," the DWR posted. "Castaic Lake & Lagoon are partially open & only boating is allowed."

Earlier in the week, Castaic Lake and Quail Lake also had closed.

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Pyramid Lake is a popular reservoir in the Angeles and Los Padres National Forests, and is a "hot spot for outdoor recreation" according to the DWR's website. Thousands of visitors flock to the lake each year for recreational activities.

A DWR spokesperson told Newsweek that there are approximately 1,000 visitors per day at the lake during peak season. Fires also closed the lake in 2006, 2020 and 2021. The spokesperson confirmed that the Post Fire has damaged at least one structure at the lake.

The Post Fire also has prompted evacuations in some communities. Earlier this week, the city of Santa Clarita warned residents in impacted areas to flee as soon as possible. Evacuations orders are still in place for the following areas: south of Gorman Post Road, west of Interstate 5, east of the Los Angeles County line, and north of Pyramid Lake. Evacuation warnings are in place for areas south of Pyramid Lake, west of Interstate 5, east of Los Angeles County line, and just north of Templin Highway.

Firefighters continue to fight the flames, but high temperatures and strong winds were expected to influence the fire on Friday.

"Firefighters will continue to focus on protecting infrastructure and recreation areas," CAL FIRE said. "While several pockets of unburned fuel remain within interior portions of the burned area, the priority remains constructing and reinforcing containment lines around the fire."

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The department added: "The hottest temperatures are expected on Saturday and Sunday, with daytime temperatures nearing 100 degrees, humidity levels in the teens and single digits, and winds up to 35 MPH. With higher temperatures this weekend, more smoke may be visible. Sunday continues to have a slight possibility of thunderstorms over the burn area."

The Post Fire is the second largest CAL FIRE incident in California. The largest is the Sites Fire, which has consumed 19,195 acres in Colusa County.