CAMARILLO (AFP) – Thousands of people were urged to flee an out-of-control wildfire burning around communities near Los Angeles, with scores of homes already lost to the fast-moving flames.
Fierce seasonal winds had cast embers up to five kilometres from the seat of the fire around Camarillo, with new spots burning on hillsides, farmland and in residential areas.
The Mountain Fire grew rapidly and had consumed 8,290 hectares, with towering flames leaping unpredictably and sending residents scrambling.
The fire was only five per cent contained, authorities said, although wind patterns were expected to favour firefighters through the night.
“We’ve been up all night watching this. I haven’t slept,” Erica Preciado told a local broadcaster as she drove her family out of the danger zone.
“We’re just trying to get a safe place. I didn’t even know what to take. I just have everything in my car,” she said, gesturing tearfully to her packed vehicle.
Authorities said that based on initial inspections, at least 132 homes had been completely destroyed, with 88 more damaged by the fires.
One man told broadcaster KTLA he and his family had fled their home of 27 years, finding out later that it had been destroyed.
“It’s all gone,” he said, his voice catching. “It’s all gone.”
Dawn Deleon described how she had only moments to flee with her six dogs.
“We watched the neighbours’ houses burning and figured it was time to get out of there,” she said.
“We left and were just gone for five minutes and went back to get my phone, and the house was already on fire and gone.”
