• Download mobile app
02 May 2024, Edition - 3215, Thursday

Trending Now

  • 830 voters names go missing in Kavundampalayam constituency
  • If BJP comes to power we shall consider bringing back electoral bonds: Nirmala Sitaraman
  • Monitoring at check posts between Kerala and TN intensified as bird flu gets virulent in Kerala

Around The Web

Los Angeles brush fire forces hundreds to flee homes

edition.cnn.com

Share

Story highlights

The fire has burned 2,000 acres and is 10% contained hot temperatures and high winds contributed to the fire

(CNN)About 200 homes were evacuated Friday after a brush fire broke out near Los Angeles, sending massive plumes of smoke into the air and shutting down an interstate highway, a fire department spokeswoman said.

In just a few hours, the La Tuna fire has burned 2,000 acres in the La Tuna Canyon Park area of the Verdugo Mountains, the Los Angeles Fire Department tweeted.

Over 260 firefighters were working to put down the blaze but as of Friday night, it was only 10% contained, said Margaret Stewart, a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Hot temperatures and high winds reported on Friday in the Los Angeles area contributed to the fire’s “very large plume growth and extreme fire behavior,” National Weather Service office in Los Angeles said.

Police shut down all traffic on the 210 Freeway in Los Angeles as the fire intensified and spread across the highway, officials said. The highway remained closed Friday night.

No homes were damaged and no injures were reported Friday night.

Authorities ordered additional mandatory evacuations late Friday night when the fire continued growing and also threatened homes in Burbank, California.

The National Interagency Fire Center says there are currently, 88 large fires have burned 1.2 million acres in Western states and Alaska. Some of them have been ignited by thunderstorm activity.

Firefighters working to control the fire and those living in much of southwest California will see “near record breaking heat” on Saturday.

“These weather factors will result in the potential for rapid fire spread in the warned area through at least Saturday evening,” the weather service said.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

COIMBATORE WEATHER