Calif. wildfires force thousands to flee
Three blazes rage simultaneously amid a record heat wave
Firefighters battled three wildfires across California on Sunday that consumed buildings and forced the evacuation of thousands of people.
One of two fires raging in Santa Barbara County was “completely out of control” after burning at least 12 square miles near Cachuma Lake and shutting down State Route 154, fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni said.
About 90 children and 50 counselors were stuck at the Circle V Ranch after the fire erupted Saturday, before they were safely evacuated.
California had three wildfires raging at once amid record- high temperatures, despite record rainfall and snowpack that delayed the start of fire season.
Elsewhere across the West, air and ground crews were battling a growing grass fire in Oregon, Colorado and Wyoming, and evacuations were ordered for two areas in Arizona. But earlier evacuation orders were lifted in Colorado and Montana towns that had been threatened during the weekend.
The fires erupted as California baked in record- breaking heat. A 131- year record in Los Angeles was snapped when the temperature hit 98 degrees downtown, breaking the previous record of 95 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Santa Barbara officials alerted residents and campers near Cachuma Lake by mid- afternoon Saturday to evacuate as the fire started near Whittier Camp, Zaniboni said. Residents were also ordered to leave cabins in the Los Padres National Forest.
“The plan is to hit it with air tankers to keep it from moving to the south and to the east,” Zaniboni said of efforts Sunday.
Another wildfire in that county forced the evacuation of 200 homes in a rural area east of Santa Maria. Dry gusts and high temperatures blew the fire to nearly 38 square miles, trupling its size, Zaniboni said.
In Northern California, several people were injured and 10 structures destroyed by a Butte County wildfire that swept through grassy foothills and forced the evacuation of 3,500 people.