The ferocious Santa Ana winds are expected to linger for a final day across Southern California after fueling more than a dozen wildfires across the region that caused thousands to evacuate and burning up to the walls of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
The National Weather Service issued a rare “extreme red flag warning” until 6 p.m. on Thursday for much of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties due to the Santa Ana winds event that’s expected to last around 36 hours.
“These prolonged dangerous fire weather conditions combined with the very dry fuels and presence of existing fires and associated flare-ups adds up to extreme Red Flag conditions for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties,” the NWS said. “As a result, there is high potential for very rapid fire growth and extreme fire behavior with new or existing fires.”
Peak gusts on Thursday are expected to reach up to 65 mph, which is “a bit weaker” than on Wednesday, when wind gusts reached up to 76 mph.
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Firefighters managed to keep blazes that sparked in the past few days in tinder-dry brush from causing widespread damage, including working through the night to make sure the Easy Fire that burned dangerously near the Reagan library Wednesday doesn’t re-erupt. There are at least six fires across the region.
Here is more on some of the major blazes burning through Southern California on Thursday.
Hillside Fire
The Hillside Fire was burning in San Bernardino, Calif. on Thursday.
(KTTV)
The Hillside Fire broke out early Thursday morning in San Bernardino, torching at least four homes and forcing evacuations.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department said the blaze was reported along Highway 18 at Lower Waterman Canyon. The vegetation fire started on three acres and quickly erupted.
At least four homes have burned in the Hillside Fire, according to KABC.
(KABC-TV via NNS)
Video from KABC-TV showed at least four homes on fire, and more than 200 acres have burned, FOX11 reported.
Authorities have ordered evacuations for the Northpark neighborhood and all areas in north San Bernardino west of Highway 18.
46 Fire
A fast-spreading blaze in the Jurupa Valley caused evacuations early Thursday in Riverside County.
The 46 Fire caused evacuations in Jurupa Valley.
(KTTV)
The 46 Fire broke out at about 12:39 a.m. in the 5300-block of 46th Street in Jurupa Valley and quickly spread, sparking evacuations.
One mobile home and two outbuildings have been damaged in the fire, officials told FOX11.
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The blaze has burned at least 75 acres and is zero percent contained.
Castlewood Fire
The Castlewood Fire broke out around 7:40 p.m. on Wednesday in Fullerton, Calif., sparking a massive emergency response.
The Castlewood Fire erupted late Wednesday in Fullerton, Calif.
(KTTV)
The blaze grew to about 15 acres as aerial crews conducted drops on the blaze, and were able to contain it on the corner of Gilbert Street and Castlewood Drive, the Fullerton Police Department told FOX11.
Fullerton residents in the area of Castlewood and Gilbert were asked to evacuate, but by 10:30 p.m. Wednesday police were allowing residents to return back to their homes.
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Los Angeles authorities have lifted most evacuations from a wildfire in the city’s Brentwood area that destroyed a dozen homes and damaged five others. Fire officials said as of Wednesday evening only a few square blocks to the west of Interstate 405 remain under mandatory evacuation orders.
Some 10,000 people fled after the blaze broke out Monday and eventually charred 1.2 square miles of dry brush.
Meanwhile, about 26,000 people remain evacuated from ranch properties and suburbs as crews try to tame a 2.3-square-mile blaze known as the Easy Fire near Simi Valley northwest of Los Angeles.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
