Thousands told to flee California fire

AFP :
Thousands of people were being told to flee a wildfire spreading in southern California on Tuesday, as strong winds fanned the flames.

Around 5,700 people were urged to leave areas threatened by the blaze, which erupted on Monday around lunchtime and had engulfed 2,200 acres (900 hectares) by the following morning.

The Highland Fire, in the countryside southeast of Los Angeles, has already leapt one highway and destroyed three buildings.

Six other structures were known to have been damaged. More than 300 firefighters were tackling the flames on the ground, assisted by aircraft that were dropping water on the blaze.

Maggie Cline de la Rosa of Cal Fire in Riverside County told AFP crews were battling strong winds and difficult terrain.

“The biggest issue right now is high winds,” she said.
“It is also topography driven — lots of valleys and gulches that the fire gets down into and gets established.