A California wildfire that has destroyed more than a dozen homes and left one man dead is forcing thousands of residents to flee as flames raged for a fourth day through drought-parched canyons and foothills north of Los Angeles, officials said on Monday.
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Further north, the so-called Soberanes Fire, burning in the Los Padres National Forest in Monterey County, threatened 1,650 structures by Monday evening and was only 10 percent contained, the U.S. Forest Service said.
The wildfire prompted the evacuation of at least 10,000 homes, although late Monday, officials allowed most evacuees to return to their homes.
Winter said a female friend Bresnick was visiting was forcibly removed by firefighters as flames closed in on them, but Bresnick insisted on staying put.
Most evacuation orders have been void except for those living in the following areas: Placerita Canyon Road from Running Horse Lane to Pacy Street, Little Tujunga Canyon Road from the Wildfire Way Station to Sand Canyon Road, Placerita Canyon Road and Agua Dulce Canyon Road.
“This will provide the reimbursements for firefighting personnel because we have personnel from all over California in the Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valley fighting this fire”, said County Supervisor Mike Antonovich.
Acting California Governor Tom Torlakson, who is filling in for Jerry Brown while he is at the Democratic convention, declared on Tuesday a state of emergency for Los Angeles and Monterey counties where the fires are located.
More than 3,000 firefighters have been deployed to halt the blaze in the Santa Clarita Valley, according to the department.
Even though the Sand Fire appears under control, another big fire up the coast near Big Sur continues to burn.
Investigators on Monday were trying to determine the cause of death of a man whose body was found in a auto in the fire zone Saturday. Two smaller fires were burning in the Bighorn National Forest.
The fire in the Shoshone National Forest west of Dubois has burned almost 11 square miles and is putting about 290 homes and guest ranches at risk in the remote area.
Authorities said they had managed to contain 25 per cent of the area, meaning the flames there had been isolated and were not expected to spread.
Crews working through the night took advantage of cooler temperatures and lighter winds after a day when the fire grew only slightly to about 55 square miles (142.26 sq. kilometers).
A helicopter drops fire retardant ahead of advancing flames as a wildfire approaches Placerita Canyon in Santa Clarita, California.
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Residents of two neighborhoods still under threat remain out of their homes. Train service will operate between Via Princessa and Los Angeles only, Metrolink officials said.
