California crews face fires as well as growing heat
LOS ANGELES – Firefighters struggled to contain three wildfires near Los Angeles on Saturday as forecasters warned that the risk of new fires was high with temperatures expected to spike and humidity levels to drop across California.
A forest fire that prompted evacuations north of Los Angeles flared up, sending up a cloud of smoke as it headed toward thick, dry brush in the Angeles National Forest. Although it was burning on forest land, evacuation orders were in effect for the western Antelope Valley because forecast winds could push the fire toward homes, fire spokesman Jake Miller said.
Fire crews stopped the fire’s movement to the desert floor when it flared up Friday. In one dramatic moment, several firefighters ran to safety when a longhorn bull that was apparently escaping the blaze charged at them.
The Lake Fire was just 12% contained as of Saturday morning, and after threatening more than 5,400 homes, it had charred more than 23 square miles of brush and trees.
Firefighters were struggling in rugged terrain amid high temperatures the National Weather Service warned could hit 111 degrees in the Antelope Valley on Saturday. Winds gusting to 20 mph were expected.
Record-breaking heat was possible through the weekend, with triple-digit temperatures and unhealthy air predicted for many parts of the state. There also was a chance of isolated thunderstorms worsening the fire threat by creating dry lightning and strong downdrafts, fire officials said
There was no containment of a blaze that blackened foothills above the Los Angeles suburb of Azusa. It churned through 2.3 square miles of brush Thursday but evacuation orders were lifted Friday. Azusa police said they were looking for a homeless man suspected of starting the fire.
Another blaze came dangerously close to a neighborhood in the city of Corona, east of Los Angeles, before crews controlled it. And a Northern California fire in the community of Sloughhouse, near Sacramento, burned about 500 acres before firefighters stopped its forward spread.