California Wildfire Burns Path to the Sea

Winds poised to worsen flames that have scorched 8K acres
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted May 3, 2013 3:09 AM CDT
Updated May 3, 2013 5:00 AM CDT
2K Homes in Danger as Calif. Wildfires Spread
A water-dropping helicopter gets ready to make a drop in Point Mugu State Park during a wildfire that burned several thousand acres, Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Ventura County, Calif.   (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Authorities are warning of "extreme fire danger" as Southern California wildfires continue to rage, having already cut a 10-mile path to the Pacific. The Springs Fire already scorched 8,000 acres of land, and it's putting 2,000 homes at risk, CNN reports. Winds today of some 35mph in Ventura County won't help officials, who had the fire 10% contained as of last night. Already, 15 homes have been damaged. Some 1,000 authorities are battling the blaze. "This fire is a long way from out," an official tells the AP. "It is still growing."

"I opened the front door and the whole mountain was on fire," a Ventura County evacuee, 82, tells the Los Angeles Times. He's one of about 800 people in areas told to evacuate, NBC Los Angeles reports. California State University's Channel Islands campus was among evacuated areas. Meanwhile, a second fire, in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, has burned more than 2,950 acres, CNN notes. It's now 40% contained, officials say. (More California stories.)

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