Residents evacuated as Southern California wildfire burns 1,500 acres
Residents near Banning in Southern California have been evacuated as a fast-moving wildfire continues to grow.
LOS ANGELES — More than 500 Southern California residents have been evacuated as a large brush fire continues to grow.
The fast-moving fire has already burned through 1,500 acres and continues to be stoked by high winds and dry conditions.
The wildfire broke out about 90 miles east of Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon and is sweeping through mostly undeveloped foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains.
Residents in subdivisions of nearby Banning are being evacuated. One home was already destroyed in the fire. Authorities said a 200-unit mobile home park in Cherry Valley had been cleared.
More than 400 firefighters have been battling the flames since noon. Six helicopters and six air tankers were making water drops.
The state agency Cal Fire reported that the fire was 30 percent contained just before 7 p.m. (10 p.m. ET) Wednesday.
The National Weather Service said a red flag warning was in effect until Friday evening.
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?