Wildfire spreads, 600 US households had to evacuate

Firefighters in California, US, are battling fast-spreading wildfires that have forced authorities to order the evacuation of about 600 homes.

The two fires broke out in the middle of the day within an hour of each other just a few miles from Azusa and Duarte, California. Temperatures in the area reached 42 degrees Celsius last night, according to the Fire Department.KTLA 5.

Police in Azusa and parts of Duarte ordered hundreds of homes to be evacuated. Many people also voluntarily evacuated.

"The fire was so close," said Tawni Atencio, 17, who lives with her family in Bradbury, near Duarte, and was evacuated. Atencio said the fire was just a few miles away and that the house was hot despite the air conditioning.

The two fires have now spread to an area of ​​about 13 square kilometers.

“A lot of homes were threatened,” said John B. Tripp, deputy fire chief for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. “But then the fire turned away from the homes and into the woods, which was extremely fortunate for us.” Tripp said the situation could have become dangerous again if the wind had changed overnight.

Authorities warn of a special fire hazard in the region due to the high temperatures. Parts of Southern California are forecast to see temperatures around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), while some desert cities could see temperatures approaching 115 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius).

According to VNE