Southern California wildfire grows as firemen brace for winds
Crews battling a 6,400-acre wildfire scrambled to burn off heavy brush near homes today before a resurgence of the hot, dry Santa Ana winds.
The blaze, which erupted yesterday afternoon, threatened about 100 homes in a sparsely populated area about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Authorities closed a road after motorists passed within yards of a huge wall of flames.
The fire was only 5% contained early today, said Jason Neuman, a fire captain with the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection/Riverside County.
Residents of about 20 homes closest to the fire were encouraged to evacuate, officials said.
Most had left by late yesterday, said Jennifer Johnson, 20, whose friends and family helped her pack up her parents’ two horses, two sheep, rooster, peacock and dog as the flames drew closer.
“There’s been fires here before and it’s been close before, but I’ve never seen all of our neighbours go,” she said, adding that she would stay unless the evacuation became mandatory.
Meanwhile, a wildfire that started in Mexico jumped the US border and burned yesterday across 1,640 acres on the American side, officials said. It was about 10% contained. The blaze was sparked by a structure fire in Mexico that spread to the brush, officials said.
