Wildfires still spreading
LOS ANGELES Wildfires fanned by sustained Santa Ana winds continued to wreak havoc across Southern California yesterday as blazes in San Diego and Ventura counties destroyed more than 500 structures, sent 212,000 people fleeing and left thousands without power.
In northern San Diego County, the Lilac fire continued to burn, holding at 1700 hectares from the night before. More than 1000 firefighters were battling the blaze, which roared through Bonsall and into Oceanside.
At least three people were injured, and 25 horses were killed at a thoroughbred training centre. At least 85 structures had been destroyed, including a number of mobile homes, authorities said.
US President Donald Trump approved a California disaster declaration, ordered federal aid to the area and put the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of disaster relief efforts.
‘‘Be prepared because, as we remember the Cedar Fire in 2003, a fire that starts in the back country . . . can go anywhere at any time, particularly when those winds shift,’’ San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob said.
‘‘We’re not out of the woods yet. We need to stay vigilant and be prepared.’’
The Lilac fire is one of half a dozen major fires burning across Ventura, San Diego, Los Angeles and Riverside counties, and comes as the National Weather Service extended a red-flag fire warning to tomorrow.
The Thomas fire in Ventura County is still the largest, spanning 53,000ha from Santa Paula to the coast. It was only 10 per cent contained yesterday, authorities said.
Throughout Ventura County, more than 400 structures had been destroyed, most of them in the city of Ventura, authorities said. Firefighters were warned of the dangers of changing wind patterns and to be extra cautious of their surroundings.
‘‘The Santa Ana winds are predicted to die down by the afternoon, and with that, the breeze from the ocean will pick up,’’ said Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Scott Quirarte. ‘‘Firefighters will need to pay attention to the winds and the type of terrain they’re on.’’
Northeast Santa Ana winds continued pushing flames west toward the La Conchita area, while the local topography was offering fuel to the fire on the eastern end, Ventura County Fire Captain Scott Detorre said.
The fire had already encroached into the Los Padres National Forest above Ojai and could do the same on the eastern end near Fillmore, he said.
In downtown Ojai, which is under a voluntary evacuation, most restaurants, boutiques and wine tasting rooms have been closed for three days.
Santa Barbara County Fire Department officials said the Thomas fire had yet to reach their county but residents should remain prepared.
San Diego County officials confirmed they had called more than 100,000 phone numbers to issue evacuation orders or warnings through AlertSanDiego, regional notification system.
At least 20,000 customers in San Diego County were without power. Nearly 600 people had checked into evacuations centres, a county spokeswoman said.
As night fell, a shopping centre was being consumed by the blaze.
At the Rancho Monserate Country Club, an area of upscale mobile homes bordering a golf course already had been reduced to ash and twisted metal.
In Los Angeles County, firefighters took advantage of the calmest winds they had seen in days. The 6200ha Creek fire near a AP Sylmar was 40 per cent contained, and no more structures were threatened, authorities said.
At least 63 homes and other structures had been destroyed and 45 damaged, though officials expected that number to increase as damage assessment crews continued to survey the area, said LA City Fire Captain Branden Silverman.
The dry, gusty winds that have fanned the wildfires in Southern California were set to continue through next week, the National Weather Service said. LA Times