With fierce winds sparking new fires today, firefighters have worked to get a handle on blazes across SoCal
as it raced toward homes late in the evening.
The blaze, dubbed the Maria fire, broke out atop South Mountain, just south of Santa Paula, about 6:15 p.m., the Ventura County Fire Department said. for a swath of residences as firefighters tried to keep the flames from spreading north toward Santa Paula and south toward Somis.. The fire erupted about 1:40 a.m. near Highway 18 at Lower Waterman Canyon and took off, quickly burning downhill into neighborhoods as authorities rushed to awaken and evacuate residents. The blaze had consumed 200 acres and burned six homes as of Thursday evening, fire officials said. Firefighters had boosted containment to 50%.
, damaging several buildings and prompting Riverside County officials to declare a state of emergency. The wind-driven blaze, which was named the 46 fire, was reported at 12:39 a.m. and was pushed by gusts reaching 25 mph, according to law enforcement and weather officials. It was also 50% contained as of Thursday night.The fire originated in a field in the 4800 block of Crestmore Road after a police pursuit ended in a vehicle crash, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
As the car neared the field on Crestmore, it jumped several curbs and blew out its tires, said Officer Ryan Railsback, spokesman for the Riverside Police Department. The car broke down in a field, and investigators believe that heat from its wheels ignited the fire. Flames engulfed the car, then the field, before spreading to the Santa Ana riverbed, police said.
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