Los Angeles, November 7 (IANS). Wildfires are spreading dangerously out of control in California due to strong winds, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.
The Mountain Fire broke out Wednesday morning in Moorpark, Ventura County, about 60 kilometers northwest of Los Angeles, and had spread to more than 10,400 acres by the afternoon, the Ventura County Fire Department said.
The department said the fire reached a suburb of the city of Camarillo, where about 70,000 people live.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement that orders to evacuate more than 10,000 people have been issued so far. The wildfire threatens 3,500 structures in suburban communities, farmhouses and agricultural fields around Camarillo.
Newsom also announced approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help ensure the availability of critical resources to Ventura County, Xinhua news agency reported.
Local broadcasters showed several houses engulfed in flames and many completely destroyed. A thick plume of smoke rose hundreds of feet into the sky, covering the entire area. This created problems for firefighters and those leaving the area.
The National Weather Service office for the Los Angeles area revised its red flag warning for the increased fire danger to ‘especially dangerous conditions’.
With winds up to 80 mph and low levels of humidity forecast, many areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties could face severe fire conditions Thursday, the weather service said.
–IANS
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