The Orange~Hott Fire

It's red hot!

Over 500 homes were evacuated on Sunday, as a major brush fire destroyed over 2000 acres in the hills of Orange, California. This is approximately 35 miles southwest of Los Angeles, CA. The fire, which was fueled by dry chaparral and hot winds, doubled in size in only a short period of time. The homes in Anaheim Hills and other unincorporated areas are being threatened by this fast-moving fire.

The fire is thought to have been ignited by a vehicle which was on fire. It is suspected that the car was stolen and then set aflame and abandoned to destroy evidence.

Police were going door to door to warn residents to evacuate, according to Anaheim city spokesman John J. Nicoletti. "There is a lot of fire personnel out there and they are doing the best they can, but the weather is not in their favor," said Lynnette Round, an Orange County Fire Authority spokeswoman. One home has been burned, as of yet.

Steven Miller, another Orange County Fire Authority spokesman, said winds that were gusting up to 35 mph were making it extremely difficult for the more than 800 firefighters on the scene to get the flames under control. Temperatures were in the 90s and humidity was at a very low 5 percent, all of which made the fire worse. Firefighters were assisted by helicopters and planes that were dropping water and fire-retardant on the flames.

By 8:30 am Monday morning, 80 percent of the fire had been contained by firefighters, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Fire crews worked hard all night to make this impressive progress on such a difficult fire.

The affected area, like much of California, has been under a "red flag alert." This red flag alert warns of a high fire danger. The long-lived drought in Southern California is thought to be the at the root of the fire, as the extreme dry conditions leave brush very comestible.

In fact, later the same day, another brush fire started about 20 miles away in Corona, which is part of Riverside County, CA, according to Capt. Julie Hutchinson of the California Department of Forestry. This fire has consumed around 25 acres but didn't threaten any houses, reported Hutchinson.
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Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/175193/hundreds_flee_brush_fire_in_california.html
by Sarah Senghas
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To view the Lake Forest Tragedy, copy and paste:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGJ98Hwtsg0
AMAZING VIDEO, "IT MAKES YOU THINK" THERE'S AN EVIL PRESENCE WITHIN THE FIRE, CAN YOU SPOT IT? -SD