Out-of-control wildfires around Los Angeles continued to grow on Tuesday, forcing families to evacuate and filling the skies with choking smoke.
Three separate fires, fueled by extreme heat and gusty winds, have broken out around the nation’s second-largest city.
Thousands of firefighters, assisted by the National Guard, were battling to slow the spread of the blaze as it raged through the dry brush.
No deaths or serious injuries have been reported, but tens of thousands of homes and businesses are at risk from the looming flames.
The Orange County Airport Fire has spread quickly and burned more than 9,000 acres since it was accidentally started by a worker operating heavy machinery Monday afternoon.
A fire in southwest Los Angeles sent thick smoke into the air and forced the closure of nearby schools.
Orange County Fire Captain Steve Concialdi said the fire continued to grow and was approaching Santiago Peak, which is home to radio and television broadcast towers used by local media and federal and local government agencies.
Concialdi said crews had been trying to protect the mountaintop but had to withdraw from the site when the flames became too intense.
Planes were seen dropping red fire extinguishing agent on hillsides above wealthy residential areas as helicopters dropped water on the blaze.
In San Bernardino County, northeast of Los Angeles, the Rhine Fire has now burned about 28,000 acres.
Evacuation orders were issued for popular tourist resort areas around Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, and several major access roads were closed.
Firefighters were battling the blaze from the air while crews on the ground were trying to create gaps in the vegetation and establish containment lines to stop the fire spreading.
However, gusty winds and hot, dry weather made things difficult.
Cal Fire, which is coordinating the firefighting effort, said the north and east sides of the fire continued to burn heavily and that severe conditions were expected throughout the day.
“Increasing winds are expected Tuesday night, which could lead to a drop in relative humidity and further fire spread,” the agency said.
The small Bridge Fire north of Los Angeles started Sunday and had burned more than 4,000 acres by Tuesday afternoon.
The heat wave that has gripped much of Southern California for the past week continues to create severe conditions.
Officials said the extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit, and gusty winds “could cause large vertical smoke growth and visible smoke columns.”
Forecasters said Tuesday was likely to be the last day of extreme temperatures in the region, with temperatures expected to drop sharply from Thursday onwards.
Wildfires are a natural part of nature’s cycle and are not uncommon at this time of year in California and other parts of the western U.S.
After two years of relatively mild fires, 2024 is shaping up to be a key year.
Two very wet winters had allowed for lush vegetation, but a long, hot summer followed which dried out and left behind a lot of fuel.
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