Huge LA Fire Roars Into Orange County

Worst blaze in nearly 50 years is only 10 percent contained
By Rebecca Smith Hurd,  Newser User
Posted Nov 15, 2008 4:38 PM CST
Huge LA Fire Roars Into Orange County
Los Angeles firefighters douse a burning hillside with water during a wind driven wildfire in northern Los Angeles on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008.   (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

The worst LA wildfire in nearly 50 years has forced 10,000 people to flee and charred more than 500 homes in Sylmar, Calif., the LA Times and LA Daily News report. Flames also swept into Orange County today, burning at least 40 more homes and surrounding a high school. Meanwhile, power outages struck San Fernando Valley neighborhoods and the city warned it may have to engineer rolling blackouts.

“The firefighters told me they could not see their hands in front of their faces,” said a fire department captain battling the Sylmar fire, which is only 10% contained. The blaze has injured four firefighters and one civilian.

(More California fires stories.)

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