MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE (AP) – A massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve was spreading rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the southwest that prompted evacuations.
The York Fire that erupted on Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the vast wildland preserve crossed the state line into Nevada on Sunday and sent smoke further east into the Las Vegas Valley.
Wind-driven flames six metres high in some spots charred more than 284 square kilometres (km2) of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to an incident update. There was zero containment.
“The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behaviour,” the update said. No structures were threatened.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire was holding steady at about 8.8 km2 in rugged hills of Riverside County. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes on Saturday near the community of Aguanga that is home to horse ranches.
Gusty winds and the thunderstorms yesterday will heightened the risk of renewed growth, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.
