Hot winds spark brush fires, leave thousands without power
Southern California has been hit by hot, dry winds, causing several brush fires and cutting off power to 12,000 Southern California Edison customers.
Several brush fires have been reported including one in the hills above Brea and another on the San Diego County-Mexico border.
A fire in a two-acre field in Riverside County damaged three nearby homes before it was largely extinguished Wednesday morning.
Cheri Patterson of the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection gave details to KTLA-Channel 5.
No one was hurt, but one house sustained major damage.
Two other homes were moderately damaged, Patterson said. The cause of the fire had not been determined.
Winds could reach 70 mph in the mountains, 60 mph in the valleys and 50 mph across the Ventura coastal plane, forecasters said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department has issued warnings about fire safety and downed power lines.
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Photo: Bryon Gavino, 21, helps put out smoldering spots in an open field along Van Buren Boulevard in Riverside County where a fire started and damaged three homes on Birmingham Avenue before it was extinguished.
Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times
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