Fires devour California mansions and hundreds of acres

Washington - Ofoq News - Fires fanned by winds destroyed multi-million dollar homes south of Los Angeles on Friday, while a rapidly spreading fire was consuming hundreds of hectares.

Video footage showed burning homes and thick clouds of smoke rising over dry, forested hills, as the fire was fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, low humidity, and temperatures above seasonal averages.

The Orange County Fire Authority said that the "Norte" fire destroyed about 465 acres (188 hectares) and damaged about four homes in the upscale municipality of San Juan Capistrano.

The authority added on the X platform that firefighting teams are working from the air and land, renewing its call on residents to stay away from the area.

The rapidly spreading fire prompted the authorities to issue widespread evacuation orders, while several helicopters participated in fire-fighting operations.

Officials warned residents of nearby areas of deteriorating air quality.

The National Weather Service warned of "the risk of large, rapidly spreading fires," especially in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, in addition to the mountainous and hilly areas of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

In parallel, firefighters continued to fight the "Bryson" fire, which broke out at night on the outskirts of the coastal area of ​​Malibu. By Friday afternoon, the fire had consumed 147 acres, and its containment rate was 17%.

The US Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton was affected by the Henderson fire, which caused the closure of highways and destroyed about 2,070 acres by Friday.

Power was cut off to tens of thousands of subscribers in Los Angeles County, after the authorities disconnected some power lines as a precaution to reduce the risk of sparks that might be transmitted by strong winds.

Meteorologists reported that wind speeds ranged between 80 and 110 kilometers per hour in mountainous areas, and between 55 and 90 kilometers per hour in coastal areas and valleys, while temperatures in some areas recorded around 38 degrees Celsius.

The Meteorological Authority warned that the danger of fires would continue on Saturday, calling on residents to prepare for the possibility of emergency evacuation orders being issued.