Dry weather fans California wildfires

[ManOnTheMoon]

 

 

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Fires in central and southern California raged Saturday as triple-digit temperatures mixed with dry conditions continued to fuel the flames.

 

A growing blaze known as the Station fire in the Angeles National Forest-La Canada Flintridge area consumed 2,000 acres Saturday, for a rough total of 7,500 acres burned, officials said.

 

"The fire has been very active on all fronts," U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Randi Jorgensen said.

 

The fire threatened about 1,800 buildings in Los Angeles County, and 900 homes were evacuated, she said.

 

"Basically, all the homes that back up to the National Forest in the La Canada-Flintridge are in danger from the fire," Jorgensen said, adding that fire officials have told residents to be prepared for possible evacuation orders.

 

The Station fire disrupted power to 750 homes.

 

More than 750 workers have been dispatched to control the blaze, which started Wednesday afternoon and was less than 5 percent contained by Saturday.

 

Jorgensen confirmed one injury involving heat exhaustion.

 

A wildfire also hit San Bernardino National Forest, burning 2,200 acres, fire officials said. The blaze, called the Cottonwood fire, started Thursday afternoon about 10 miles from the southern California city of Hemet, officials reported. That blaze was about 10 percent contained Friday evening. Hemet is about 85 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

 

Firefighters fully contained another fire that torched 230 acres about 20 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles on Friday. The blaze, called the Palos Verdes fire, forced 1,200 people to evacuate and destroyed five homes and two other buildings.

 

Another fire in the Angeles National Forest had burned more than 2,100 acres. The blaze, called the Morris fire, started Tuesday. That fire was about 85 percent contained Friday evening, officials said.

Edited August 30, 2009 by Makaveli