Los Angeles Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Of More Than 1,200 Residents

Officials evacuated at least 1,200 people on Saturday as a wildfire in Los Angeles County spread over thousands of acres near a major highway and threatened nearby buildings.

CalFire said the rapidly growing Post Fire started around 2 p.m. on Saturday in Gorman, Los Angeles County, west of the I-5, and was moving southeast toward Pyramid Lake. Driven by strong winds and low humidity, the fire spread overnight, reaching Ventura County and burning 2,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, according to LAist.

Authorities evacuated at least 1,200 people as a wildfire in Los Angeles County spread over thousands of acres near a major highway and threatened nearby structures. Via @AP https://t.co/EJfhN2t2yM

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By Sunday evening, the fire was 2% contained. Strong winds, which started on Sunday and were expected to continue until Monday, complicated firefighting efforts. Wind gusts had reached 55 mph and were forecast to hit up to 70 mph at night, before decreasing on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Evacuation orders were issued for Hungry Valley Park, where officials evacuated around 1,200 people, and for Pyramid Lake, which was closed.

CalFire is investigating the cause of the fire. No injuries have been reported.

California's wildfire season has started aggressively. This year, fires have burned about 41,900 acres, compared to the five-year average of 27,100 acres for the same period, according to CalFire data.

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