A fast-moving wildfire has burned more than 10,000 acres northwest of Los Angeles, forcing the evacuation of about 1,200 people from popular camping and recreation areas.
The fire, named After the fireserved as a powerful warning to Southern California residents: a wet winter does not guarantee a calm fire season.
It was 0% contained as of Sunday morning, with authorities saying hot and dry conditions combined with winds gusting up to 50 mph were complicating firefighting efforts.
The fire broke out Saturday afternoon near Interstate 5, in an area Californians know as Grapevine — a winding, mountainous stretch of the massive highway that carries cars and large trucks between the Central Valley and the Los Angeles area. Within 12 hours, the fire had spread to more than 10,500 acres, according to CalFire, California’s firefighting agency.
Two buildings, a kiosk and a leisure center, were damaged, but no houses were burned, authorities said.
Authorities evacuated about 1,200 people from the Hungry Valley Recreation Area and closed the nearby Pyramid Lake Reservoir, firefighters said. said.
Firefighters were working to draw containment lines and using aircraft to stop the fire from spreading, but their visibility was limited, the department said Saturday evening.
Parts of northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah and western New Mexico also face an increased fire risk Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
