- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
- Click here to share on LinkedIn (Opens in a new window)
- Click to email a friend (Opens in a new window)
(CNN) - A fast-growing, wind-driven forest fire swept through the area of northern Los Angeles during the night, which triggered mandatory evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people. In addition, portions of at least three major highways were closed and firefighters are intervening to try to save homes.
The Saddleridge fire, which began on Thursday and increased explosively reaching just over 750 hectares in the early hours of Friday, expanded through highways 210 and 5 during the night as it extended from the San Fernando Valley to the neighborhoods of the North of Los Angeles.
An undetermined number of homes were destroyed, and mandatory evacuation orders were issued for more than 12,000 homes, often while occupants slept, in and near the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
"We need people to leave now while they can," Los Angeles Fire Department chief Michael Moore said early Friday.
- The CNN hero who gave mobile homes to those displaced by fires in California
The Saddleridge fire burns near a firefighter in Sylmar, California, on October 10, 2010. (Credit: AP Photo / Michael Owen Baker)
This is just one of several fires in southern California fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, with gusts of around 96 km / h. Many parts of the region are under red alert warnings, which means a high risk of fire, until Friday afternoon.
The Saddleridge fire began around 9 pm ET and reached highways 210 and 5, and some parts of the roads closed in both directions while the orange embers lit the night sky. By late Thursday he had destroyed 24.3 hectares; but about four hours later, it had grown to more than 1,618.8 hectares, firefighters said.
Héctor Landeros, who lives in the Sylmar neighborhood of northern Los Angeles, said he heard fire trucks and police cars running through the streets on Thursday night as huge flames approached.
"In some areas, the streets have begun to empty but on the front line people are watching, waiting on the sidewalk without really knowing what to do," he told CNN early Friday. "There are many people trying to enter their neighborhoods."
Shaun Butch said he saw llamas on both sides of the highway while driving on Interstate 5.
“Everything was wrapped in smoke and visibility was so low that it was difficult to drive. Everyone on Interstate 5 north was arrested and trapped. I could barely pass on Interstate 5 North. ”
Patsy Zamora said that while driving on the highway with fire on the side of the road, he could feel the heat through the windows.
In Sylmar, Mojdan Darabi's husband was spraying his house and yard with a garden hose early Friday, said KABC, a CNN affiliate. They both stayed outside, eagerly watching the flames on the nearby slopes.
"Yes, I am worried, but I am only watering everywhere to stop the fire from here," said the husband.
It is one of the multiple fires in the region
The Saddleridge fire is one of several fires in southern California.
Another fire - the Sandalwood fire in Calimesa, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles - has destroyed at least 74 structures since it began Thursday afternoon, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. He burned at least 202.3 hectares and contained at least 10%.
The Sandalwood fire in Calimesa destroyed 74 structures.
The conflagration began when the load of a garbage truck caught fire and spread to the vegetation, captain Fernando Herrera of Cal Fire Riverside told KABC, a CNN affiliate.
“Due to the influx of wind from Santa Ana, this fire obviously got completely out of control. The vegetation began to eat as fast as the eye can see, ”he said.
Residents are under mandatory evacuation orders and 120 firefighters are assigned to the area.
The fire has burned several buildings in the Villa Calimesa Home Park.
Less than 30 miles away in Moreno Valley, the Reche fire has burned at least 141.6 hectares and was contained by 10% Thursday night. The fire went from 40 to 80 hectares in approximately 90 minutes, before almost doubling two hours later. Mandatory evacuations have been issued in the surrounding areas, and the cause is under investigation.
Southern California Edison cut the power supply to almost 24,000 customers on Thursday to avoid forest fires caused by high winds that break down electrical power equipment.
- CNN's Amanda Watts and Jason Hanna contributed to this report
Forest fires