Wildfire torches hillside homes in southern California

Wildfire torches hillside homes in southern California

By Andrew Hay

A wind-driven wildfire on a hillside above the southern California city of San Bernardino burned several homes and forced evacuations before it was brought under control on Tuesday, firefighters reported.

Video from local TV station KTLA 5 showed at least five residences had burned after the fast-moving brush fire jumped into up-market homes overlooking the city of 220,000 located around 55 miles (88 km) east of Los Angeles.

The fire began Monday and burned 100 acres (40 hectares)before it was largely contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or CAL FIRE reported.

The cause of the blaze was under investigation.

Warmer than usual temperatures and abundant vegetation after a wet winter and spring have led to ideal burning conditions in the most populous U.S. state. Climate change has led to more severe and longer heatwaves, according to experts.

Another fire, in the forested mountains north of Sacramento, has grown into California's fourth largest on record, burning an area larger than the city of Los Angeles across two counties.

The blaze known as the Park fire took off on Monday, burning through more than 12,000 acres and prompting more evacuations in the Mill Creek area, Cal Fire reported.

Tinder-dry forests, high temperatures and steep canyons have made it difficult to fight the blaze which has destroyed around 640 homes and other structures.

The fire had torched 414,042 acres as of Tuesday morning and was 34% contained.