More than 1,500 cars burn in massive junkyard fire in Southern California

At least 1,500 vehicles, if not more, inside of an estimated 20-acre junkyard in the Antelope Valley burned in a three-alarm blaze in the Antelope Valley Thursday.

Firefighters responded to reports of a “yard fire” at 421 W Ave I off of Sierra Highway in Lancaster just after 3 p.m., L.A. County Fire confirmed to KTLA.  

In video of the blaze posted to social media, thick plumes of black smoke were seen coming from the location and drifting over the nearby Sierra Highway.  

Initially, fire officials reported that an estimated 300 crushed vehicles were on fire, though that number continued to rise as the flames spread.

Aerial footage from Sky5 showed several explosions, as well as flames jumping the fence causing firefighters to quickly extinguish small vegetation fires.

Workers at the recycling center were helping fire crews by using heavy equipment to move the cars in an attempt to keep the fire from spreading to additional vehicles.

Officials with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Lancaster Station had issued a shelter in place order for the neighborhood between Division Street and Challenger Way, north of Avenue I. As of 6:30 p.m. no residential evacuations had been ordered.

Sierra Highway in the area was shut down while crews battled the flames.

In an update just before 9 p.m. posted to X, formerly Twitter, fire officials said 180 firefighters using specialized equipment had made significant progress on the blaze, and added that 10 acres of salvaged cars had burned so far.

Officials declared a “knock down” of the fire around 9:30 p.m. and said crews would remain on scene overnight to ensure no additional flare ups occur.

No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.