A quick fire update for Tuesday morning
Here's the latest on the fires burning in SoCal:
Two huge blazes continue to tear through in L.A. -- the Sesnon fire near Porter Ranch in the west end of the Valley, which has burned more than 5,000 acres, and the Marek fire in the northeast end of the Valley, where firefighters estimate 5,300 acres have burned.
A new fire has erupted in San Bernardino in the city's Little Mountain area, just east of the 215 and north of the 210. Several hundred homes are threatened and the 215 freeway remains closed.
The fire in Camp Pendleton, known as the Juliet fire, has reached more than 3,000 acres and continues to burn out of control toward Fallbrook. (That's the Juliet Fire in the photo.)
The 118 Freeway is now shut down because of smoke and ash, and winds, which had died down a bit during the night, are robust again, gusting again this morning.
Despite the efforts of 2,000 firefighters and as many water- and fire-retardant-dropping aircraft as could be mustered, the fires continue to grow. Fears are the fires will burn south, jump the 101 Freeway and make their traditional -- for this area, anyway -- charge to the sea.
Our main fire story, updated regularly, is here. Evacuation areas and sites are here. Traffic info here, and heart-stopping pix here.
-- Veronique de Turenne
Photo credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times
(Seen from a hill in Vista at 10 p.m. on Monday, flames and smoke light up the hills on the southeastern boundary of Camp Pendleton, where an out of control wildfire burns towards Fallbrook.)
