A fast-moving wildfire in Southern California has burned at least 10,000 acres in a matter of hours, according to officials. The Los Angeles County Fire Department said the blaze – dubbed the “Lake Fire” – remains at 0% containment as it burns in the mountainside community of Lake Hughes, located about 65 miles north of Los Angeles.
The blaze broke out around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday but grew quickly in size. Almost seven hours after starting, the blaze reached 10,000 acres. A “firewhirl” or “firenado” was also reported. Fire tornados, also known as fire vortices, occur when a gust of extremely hot air blows through the fire at a certain angle, producing a spinning momentum which then sucks up embers and debris.
Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief David Richardson said as of Thursday morning, more than 1,059 firefighters are battling the blaze. The Lake Fire is expected to continue to grow and threaten the surrounding communities of Lake Hughes, Leona Valley, Lake Elizabeth, Pine Canyon and Three Points.
