A new wildfire erupted north of Los Angeles on Wednesday, exploding in size and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes, in a region already on edge after two deadly blazes.
Ferocious flames were devouring hillsides near Castaic Lake, spreading rapidly to cover more than 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares) in just a few hours.
The fire was being fanned by strong, dry Santa Ana winds that were racing through the area, pushing a vast pall of smoke and dangerous embers ahead of the flames -- sparking fears that it could spread further.
The fire came with the greater Los Angeles area still suffering after two enormous fires that killed more than two dozen people and destroyed thousands of structures.
Firefighters stopped the expansion of a new wildfire north of Los Angeles on Thursday after it spread rapidly, as California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $2.5 billion relief package for the fire-devastated region.
ReplyDeleteThe Hughes Fire, about 50 miles (80 km) north of Los Angeles, broke out on Wednesday as emergency services continued to battle two fires on the city’s eastern and western flanks that have burned for more than two weeks.