Wildfires grow in California
THE largest and most destructive of the wildfires in southern California has grown to 140 square miles and fire officials have said the worst may be yet to come.
The 90,000-acre fire burning in Ventura County, north west of Los Angeles, has swept through ridges and canyons to the sea and Santa Ana winds that drove it are expected to return with a vengeance overnight.
State fire director Ken Pimlott said winds that eased in the afternoon could return with gusts up to 80mph that would make it impossible to fight the fire.
Dozens of homes have burned since the blaze erupted on Monday. Nearly 1,800 firefighters and a fleet of aircraft are fighting the flames but the blaze is only 5% contained.
Earlier a wildfire in a wealthy western area of Los Angeles reached an estate and winery owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch.