Hundreds evacuated in California wildfire
Source: Reuters
(Updates with evacuees in paragraph 1, size of fire, damage in paragraph 2, containment in paragraph 3) By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES, March 11 (Reuters) - A fast moving brush fire sent flames leaping into backyards and forced more than 1,200 southern California residents out of their hillside homes on a sweltering Sunday of gusty winds after months of drought. Firefighters said two outbuildings were destroyed and two homes were damaged and more than 2,000 acres were burned as the fire threatened the upscale Anaheim Hills neighborhood in Orange County, about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Los Angeles. By late Sunday, the fire was 30 percent contained, said Capt. Steve Miller of the Orange County Fire Authority. Southern California was under an extremely high-risk fire warning over the weekend as hot winds drove temperatures up to around 90 (32 C) degrees inland after one of driest winters on record. Less than 2 1/2 inches of rain have fallen in Los Angeles in the rain year than started in July 2006 compared to a normal annual total of about 11 1/2 inches. Peak fire season is June-October but fire officials warn southern Californians to be on alert constantly. "Southern California fire season is a year round event," said Julie Hutchinson of the California Department of Forestry. Fire and police officials went door to door or used megaphones to order residents out as the flames crept within half a mile of the hillside community. Emergency shelters were set up in schools and community centers for families, pets and horses. Later in the day, some of the mandatory evacuations were downgraded to voluntary, an Anaheim city spokesman said. Television picture showed flames leaping just feet from the backyard patio and swimming pool of one home. Black plumes of smoke filled the skyline and were visible for miles. Helicopters and airplanes dropped fire retardant and water and some 1,000 firefighters fought the blaze on the ground. Miller said the fire started early on Sunday morning and may have been sparked by an abandoned car. The flames spread quickly, pushed by hot winds from the desert gusting up to 35 mph (55 kph). Humidity was less than 5 percent and weather forecasters said no rain was expected for at least five days.
| AlertNet news is provided by |  |
