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Authorities say burned body found at scene of Southern California wildfire

– A brush fire broke out along the northbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway in Santa Clarita today and quickly spread to 125 acres and zero containment.

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No homes had burned and the fire was heading southward into Angeles National Forest and away from densely populated areas north of it in Santa Clarita, which has about 180,000 residents.

It is unclear whether the remains were found inside a structure, outside, or inside a auto.

California faced a weekend of flame and heat Saturday as wildfires forced evacuations of hundreds of homes and red flag warnings of extreme fire danger were issued because of gusty winds and 100-degree heat.

Dubbed the “Sand Fire”, the flames broke out on Friday afternoon and spreak quickly near Santa Clarita, nearly tripling in size in under a day.

Plumes of smoke from the fast-moving fires hovered over Los Angeles on Saturday, blocking the sun to a mere orange disk at times.

One firefighter sustained a light injury while no deaths have been reported, Reuters reports, citing local officials.

The fire has burned 20,000 acres since starting on Friday outside of Santa Clarita, California. “This fire has increased to about 11,000 acres just overnight”, he added.

No homes were immediately threatened in the sparsely populated area.

A Bengal tiger and other exotic animals were evacuated from the Wildlife Waystation, a nonprofit sanctuary for rescued exotic creatures within the national forest.

As darkness fell across Southern California on Saturday the blaze was only 10 percent contained, throwing a pall of thick black smoke over much of Los Angeles.

For example, Ghosh said, she lives in the Glendale-La Crescenta area, but made a decision to run errands Saturday despite getting blanketed in ash.

More than 300 firefighters have been fighting the blaze, aided by 126 engines, 14 hand crews, 28 helicopters, 8 fixed wing aircraft and 7 dozers, InciWeb also reports. Some 300 homes have been ordered evacuated. Later in the day, firefighters managed to beat back the threat.

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“One wind shift and this whole place could be gone in half an hour”, one person who left his home, Chris Freeman, told NBC News.

Fast-Moving California Wildfire Forces Evacuation Of 300 Homes