Mass evacuations across Los Angeles where wildfires tear through 14,000 acres – as horrifying images emerge
About 1,200 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires continue to spread beyond Los Angeles.
The devastating wildfire, dubbed the Post Fire, ignited just 65 miles northwest of LA on Saturday and has scorched more than 14,000 acres as firefighters battle the blaze.
By Sunday evening, only two percent of the fire was under control as officials said high winds of up to 50 miles per hour spread the flames across the region.
The cause of the mail fire is still unknown, but officials say it started at 1:45 p.m. Saturday in Gorman, near Hungry Valley Park.
Further reports indicate the fire is spreading near Interstate 5 toward Pyramid Lake.
Firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) and other firefighters respond to the station fire
Firefighters work Saturday under a smoldering mound left by the Post Fire
Wind gusts are forecast to reach 75 miles per hour per hour, as officials warned evacuations β carried out by California Park Services β could escalate.
Breathtaking footage showed firefighters battling the massive bushfires, with helicopters called in to dump water from above to control the flames.
Evacuation warnings have also been issued to areas west of Interstate 5 between Pyramid Lake and Gorman in anticipation of further damage.
More than 400 firefighters are working to extinguish the flames with 70 engines and two bulldozers.
βCrews are currently working to establish perimeter fire lines around the fire flares,β read an update from Cal Fire on Sunday.
“Airplanes try to stop forward progress, but have limited visibility.”
A helicopter drops water as firefighters clean up after the Post Fire rips through
Firefighters are working against the advancing Post Fire on Sunday
More than 14,000 hectares burned on Sunday evening, with firefighters only able to contain two percent of the forest fires
The devastating wildfire started Saturday just a hundred miles northwest of LA
The post fire is burning through the Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area in Lebec
The Post Fire marks the first major wildfire of the year in Los Angeles County, although California has recorded a total of 1,769 wildfires this year.
Firefighters working in sweltering conditions and steep terrain rushed to extinguish the fires shortly after they were reported.
Kenichi Haskett, section chief of the LA County Fire Department, told the Associated Press that their efforts were hampered by unpredictable winds that blew embers through the dry area.
‘When the wind blows, it just sprays the water everywhere we don’t need it. So that’s a challenge,β Haskett said.
No injuries or damage to homes have been reported yet, but officials warned residents of Castaic, home to about 19,000 people, to prepare to leave if the fire moves further south.
‘If you are in a warning area, be prepared with a ‘go bag’, with nightwear and your mobile phone, your medicine, your glasses. Get your car fueled up,β Haskett said. “Be ready to evacuate.”
The National Weather Service issued a “Red Flag” fire warning along the I-5 corridor on Sunday due to high winds and low humidity.
“Wind gusts of 70 to 90 kilometers per hour today, increasing to 100 to 120 kilometers per hour tonight, strongest on the ridges,” the service reported on X.
The warning remains in effect until 5:00 PM local time on Monday.
A U.S. Forest Service firefighter produces a controlled burn as the Post Fire burns through Castaic, California
Firefighters working in sweltering conditions and steep terrain rushed to extinguish the fires shortly after they were reported
The Post Fire (pictured) marks the first major wildfire of the year in Los Angeles County, although California has recorded a total of 1,769 wildfires this year
Officials warned that dry conditions and high winds were hampering their efforts to control the fires
A firefighter looks at a plume of smoke from the Post Fire on Saturday, June 15
The low humidity and steep terrain of the affected area are hampering fire brigade efforts.
Firefighters in the region are also battling a second fire in Hesperia in San Bernardino County.
The second fire broke out after 6 p.m. Saturday in the 18000 block of North Highway 173, the LA Times reported.
Meanwhile, a small wildfire in Northern California prompted evacuation orders and warnings for a sparsely populated area near Lake Sonoma on Sunday.
The so-called Point Fire produced a huge plume of dark smoke as it swept through brush and timber about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of San Francisco. It was 15% contained.