Alice Wright, Dailymail.Com 2024-06-17 07:08, Updated 2024-06-17 07:30
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Wildfires continue to spread outside Los Angeles, forcing about 1,200 people to evacuate their homes.
The devastating wildfire, dubbed the “Post Fire,” began just 65 miles northwest of Los Angeles on Saturday and has burned more than 14,000 acres as firefighters battled to contain it.
Officials said winds of up to 50 mph are spreading the fire across the region, and it was only 2 percent contained as of Sunday night.
The cause of the Post Fire is still unknown, but officials said it is believed to have started around 1:45 p.m. Saturday in Gorman, near Hungry Valley Park.
Reports also say the fire is spreading from the main highway of Interstate 5 toward Pyramid Lake.
Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) firefighters and other firefighters respond to the Post Fire. Firefighters work beneath the smoldering hillside left by the Post Fire on Saturday.
Wind gusts were expected to reach up to 70 mph overnight, and officials warned evacuations being implemented by the California Parks Department may be stepped up.
Breathtaking footage showed firefighters battling the massive wildfire, with helicopters dropping water from the air to try to douse the flames.
Evacuation warnings were also issued for areas west of Interstate 5 between Pyramid Lake and Gorman as further damage was expected.
More than 400 firefighters are battling the blaze using 70 fire engines and two bulldozers.
“Crews are currently working to install firebreaks around the perimeter of the fire,” according to a Cal Fire update on Sunday.
“Aircraft are attempting to intercept the advance but visibility is limited.”
A helicopter drops water as firefighters work to put out the Post Fire after it spread. Firefighters battle the spreading Post Fire on Sunday. More than 14,000 acres had burned as of Sunday night, and firefighters had only been able to contain 2% of the fire. The devastating wildfire broke out on Saturday just 65 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The Post Fire has burned through Hungry Valley State Vehicle Recreation Area in Lebec.
A total of 1,769 wildfires have been recorded in California this year, but the Post Fire marks Los Angeles County’s first major wildfire of the year.
Despite the scorching heat and steep terrain, firefighters quickly got to work extinguishing the blaze after receiving reports of it.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Kenichi Haskett told The Associated Press that efforts to put out the fires were being hampered by unpredictable winds that were blowing embers across the dry region.
“When it’s windy, the water gets splashed where you don’t want it, so that’s a challenge,” Haskett said.
No injuries or damage to homes have yet been reported, but authorities warned residents in the city of Castaic, home to about 19,000 people, to prepare to evacuate if the fire spreads further south.
“If you are in an area under a warning, prepare a ‘bug bag’ with an overnight change of clothes, a cell phone, medications and glasses. Keep your car full of gas,” Haskett said. “Be prepared to evacuate.”
On Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a “red flag” fire warning along the Interstate 5 corridor due to high winds and low humidity.
“Wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph today increasing to 60 to 70 mph tonight, strongest over the ridge tops,” the weather service posted on X.
The warning is in effect until 5pm local time on Monday.
US Forest Service firefighters conduct a controlled burn as the Post Fire burns in Castaic, California. In sweltering heat and rugged terrain, firefighters quickly rushed to extinguish the blaze after it was reported. California has seen a total of 1,769 wildfires this year, but the Post Fire (pictured) is Los Angeles County’s first major wildfire this year. Officials have warned that dry weather and strong winds are hindering efforts to contain the blaze. A firefighter watches a plume of smoke from the Post Fire on Saturday, June 15.
Low humidity and steep terrain in the affected areas are hindering firefighting efforts.
Firefighters in the area are also battling a second fire in Hesperia, San Bernardino County.
The second fire broke out in the 18000 block of North Highway 173 on Saturday just after 6 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Times.
Meanwhile, in Northern California, small wildfires broke out on Sunday, prompting evacuation orders and warnings for sparsely populated areas near Lake Sonoma.
The so-called Point Fire sent up huge plumes of black smoke as it burned through brush and forest about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of San Francisco. It is 15 percent contained.