Wildfires raging in California again
HORNBROOK, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire burning through drought-stricken timber and brush near California’s border with Oregon has killed one person and destroyed multiple structures as it grows largely out of control, authorities said Friday.
The person died in the blaze that started Thursday in Siskiyou County. But no other details were released because next of kin have not been notified, said Suzi Brady, a spokeswoman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The blaze is threatening 300 homes near Hornbook, Calif., a town of 250 people about 22 kilometres south of the Oregon border.
It had burned more than 30 square kilometres and was five per cent contained.
The fire is being fueled by hot weather and extreme winds, conditions that are expected throughout the weekend, Brady said.
“The fire jumped a major highway and it’s burning on both sides and is being fueled by extremely erratic winds,” she said.
Multiple structures are threatened, damaged or destroyed, Brady said.
California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency, citing “extreme peril” to people and property.
In Oregon, authorities urged hikers and other outdoors enthusiasts to avoid forested areas near the Oregon-California border.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said Friday that although the blaze has not crossed into Oregon, officials are concerned people in remote areas could be unreachable in case they need to quickly evacuate.
The areas of concern include the Pacific Crest Trail, Mount Ashland and the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.
Rescue crews may be prohibited from engaging in search missions because of fire danger, the office said.
Meanwhile, a wildfire in San Diego County has burned at least five homes and perhaps as many as a dozen.
The reports came from journalists at the scene of the wildfire in Alpine — one of three blazes in the county that erupted Friday afternoon.
State fire officials said the 400-acre fire was only five per cent contained, but crews had virtually stopped its growth and were focusing on knocking down hotspots that continue to threaten houses.
One firefighter was treated for minor facial burns.
A fire at the Camp Pendleton Marine Base in the north county prompted the evacuation of 750 homes. There was also a quick-moving fire in the San Bernardino National Forest.