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JACalifornia Wildfires
A Southern California wildfire has burned nearly 500 acres over the weekend according to the US Forest Service. The fire, which is burning in the Sierra Madre Mountains so 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles, broke through containment areas last night, forcing the evacuation of some 1,000 people living in the surrounding area.
The fire started Saturday in a remote mountainous area that has not had fire in over thirty years. Years of undergrowth has added to the dry tender that is fueling the intense fire. The Forestry Service has 580 firefighters working in the area and has reported four fire related injuries, none of them serious.
Humidity and low winds have helped firefighters combat the fire. If the weather remains mild, officials predict that the fire will be contained within the coming week. The evacuation order for 500 homes, however, will remain in effect. Officials have said that the fire was manmade, but are unsure of the exact cause and location of the initial blaze.
