Winds making fires difficult to contain in Southern California
Two large wildfires ignite in Southern California's Los Angeles and Riverside counties.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - It's a race to evacuate as two wildfires erupted in Southern California on Friday. Gusty winds fanning the flames and dry brush are contributing factors, making one of them explode in size in a matter of hours.
There are larger concerns about a potentially early start to fire season. There is good news as crews are beginning to gain the upper hand on the fires.
Two large wildfires ignite in Southern California's Los Angeles and Riverside counties.
Wind is fanning flames
The wind is making the Crown Fire difficult to contain in Los Angeles County.
That was also the case in Riverside County. The Springs Fire is forcing people to evacuate. The fires started on Friday within an hour and a half of each other.
A reporter from our Los Angeles affiliate, Fox 11, spoke to a woman putting her mother's ashes in the car, as she was leaving her house.
"I got my pets back there. I got my mom's ashes. I am getting to safety," she said.
Two large wildfires ignite in Southern California's Los Angeles and Riverside counties.
Some similarities
CAL FIRE says both fires have a lot in common.
"Both of them are affected by the wind watch that has been issued by the National Weather Service. Anytime there is a fire, it grows bigger simply because there is additional wind," said David Acuña, CAL FIRE Communications Battalion Chief.
Acuña said in recent years, California has had a lot of rain. Also, hotter and dryer summers. More grass and more fuel for fires.
"Even if it looks like it's green on top, there are layers of dead grass underneath. Waiting for the right conditions to burn," he said.
Two large wildfires ignite in Southern California's Los Angeles and Riverside counties.
Year-round fire season
Acuña said fire season is now year round. So the blazes are bigger, spread faster and more homes are at risk.
"We are going to my son's house in Corona. Far enough away from this. Hopefully, this will not be too long," said the woman evacuating in Riverside County.
As of 10 p.m. on Friday, the Springs Fire was 10% contained. 4,176 acres burned.
The Crown Fire was 26% contained. 345 acres burned.
For more updates visit fire.ca.gov.
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