Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Calmer winds help firefighters beat back two blazes
LOS ANGELES » Calmer weather on Wednesday helped firefighters beat back two wildfires that drove nearly 100,000 Southern Californians from their homes amid fierce winds and extremely dry conditions.
Authorities lifted some evacuation orders Tuesday as winds began subsiding and containment was increased for the massive wildfires in brushy hills above cities in Orange County. More residents were expected to receive permission to return to their homes Wednesday.
“With favorable weather, fire crews will find opportunities to establish more control lines,” the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said in a statement.
The Silverado Fire burned 21 square miles and was 25% contained Wednesday. No homes were destroyed, but 70,000 remained threatened by the blaze, which broke out in gusty weather around dawn Monday near Irvine, a city of 280,000 about 35 miles south of Los Angeles.
That fire and the Blue Ridge Fire just to the north, which broke out several hours later near the city of Yorba Linda, sent tens of thousands of residents fleeing densely populated neighborhoods. Seven structures were damaged and one destroyed by the Blue Ridge Fire, which charred a similarsized area by Wednesday.
Two firefighters who battled the Silverado Fire remained hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday after suffering second- and third- degree burns, Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessey said.
At one point, winds were so fierce that gusts blew over tractor- trailers and grounded firefighting aircraft. They subsided Tuesday night, and calmer winds were expected the rest of the week, the National Weather Service said. But continued warm and dry weather that make for potentially dangerous wildfire conditions were forecast into November, with no rain.
The Southern California Edison utility reported to state officials that it was investigating whether its equipment might have sparked the Silverado Fire.