High Winds Spread California Wildfire

1 minute read
A long exposure image of embers flying off burnt out trees following the wind driven wildfire ranging in the mountain area near Rancho Cucamonga late on April 30, 2014.
A long exposure image of embers flying off burnt out trees following the wind driven wildfire ranging in the mountain area near Rancho Cucamonga late on April 30, 2014.Stuart Palley—EPA
By Denver Nicks

Updated: Thursday, 5:15 a.m. E.T.

A wildfire moving through the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California has grown to cover 1,000 acres (404 hectares), four times larger than the size previously reported by authorities.

At least 1,650 homes have been evacuated because of the blaze, including several neighborhoods and at least seven schools in parts of Rancho Cucamonga, population 165,000, near Los Angeles.

Wind gusts of 60 m.p.h. (97 km/h) have helped to spread the blaze, the Associated Press reports.

There has been no official announcement about what started the fire, though a recent heat wave made the area particularly vulnerable.

[AP]

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