Southern California crews make progress in slowing Maria fire
LOS ANGELES >> Authorities lifted evacuation orders for the farm community of Somis on Saturday as firefighters made progress on a large wildfire in Southern California that continues to threaten about 2,500 homes and buildings.
Ventura County officials allowed an unknown number of residents in Somis to return home Saturday morning after firefighters contained 20% of the Maria fire, which has burned nearly 15 square miles and forced nearly 11,000 people to evacuate.
While fire activity subsided overnight, winds and skin-cracking low humidity entered a fourth day and made it another difficult day for firefighters. Moreover, an unexpected area of clouds moved in from the south, threatening to bring lightning strikes and wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph over the region, the National Weather Service said.
Police in Santa Monica urged beachgoers to seek shelter indoors after lightning was reported over the city.
Crews battled to keep the flames away from orchards and farms in the rural area. Three buildings were destroyed.
The fire erupted on a hilltop northwest of Los Angeles on Thursday during what had been expected to be the tail end of gusty Santa Ana winds.
The cause was under investigation but there was a troubling possibility that an electrical line might have been involved — as such lines have been at other recent fires.
Southern California Edison said Friday that it reenergized a 16,000-volt power line 13 minutes before the fire erupted in the same area.
Edison and other utilities up and down the state shut off power to hundreds of thousands of people this week out of concerns that high winds could cause power lines to spark and start fires.
SCE will cooperate with investigators, the utility said.