Gorman, California.- Strong winds fanned flames through dry brush in the mountains along Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles on Sunday, and authorities warned residents in the path of the conflagration to prepare in case spreads again.
Los Angeles County’s first major wildfire of the year quickly grew to nearly 23 square miles (60 square kilometers), a day after it forced the evacuation of at least 1,200 campers and hikers from the Hungry Valley Recreation Area.
The fire, called the Post Fire, was just 2% contained Sunday night. No injuries were reported. The cause was under investigation.
Firefighters, working in sweltering conditions and steep terrain, scrambled to put out secondary fires that broke out when unpredictable winds blew embers, said Kenichi Haskett, section chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The gusts also hampered the planes’ attempts to drop water and fire retardant, he said.
“When it’s windy, we just spray water where we don’t need it. So that’s a challenge,” Haskett said.
Meanwhile, in Northern California, a small wildfire that broke out Sunday prompted evacuation orders and warnings for a sparsely populated area near Lake Sonoma. The so-called Point Fire sent up a huge plume of dark smoke as it burned brush and timber about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of San Francisco. It was 15% contained.
The Southern California fire broke out Saturday afternoon near the I-5 freeway in Gorman, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles. Two structures burned within the evacuated recreational area.
Flames were moving toward Pyramid Lake, a popular water sports destination that was closed for Father’s Day. No homes were at risk Sunday, but authorities warned residents of the town of Castaic, home to about 19,000 people, to prepare to evacuate in case the fire spreads south.
“If you are in a warning area, prepare a travel bag, with clothes for the night and your cell phone, medications and glasses. Fill up the car,” Haskett said. “Be prepared to evacuate.”
Forecasts indicate low humidity and gusts of about 80 km/h (50 mph) throughout the day, and winds could intensify as the sun goes down, the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles warned.
About 75 miles (120 kilometers) to the east, the nearly 2-square-mile (5-square-kilometer) Hesperia Fire forced road closures and prompted evacuation warnings after it ignited Saturday near mountain communities in San County. Bernardino. The fire was 19% contained on Sunday.
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