California fire burns Bel-Air mansions as spread continues

Residents of Los Angeles' wealthy Bel-Air neighbourhood have found their homes under threat after another wildfire erupted in California.

The so-called Skirball Fire destroyed several homes in the exclusive area, quickly spreading over 150 acres.

It is the latest eruption of wildfire in the state, which has already seen widespread destruction from a series of uncontrolled blazes.

The largest, named the Thomas Fire, has covered some 90,000 acres.

By Wednesday night local time, California's fire service said it had threatened 12,000 buildings, destroyed 150, and was only "5% contained".
Mandatory evacuation orders remained in several areas, as strong winds helped to spread the flames.

Authorities issued a purple alert - the highest level warning ever issued in the state - amid what it called "extremely critical fire weather".

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Lucas Buck said:

♪Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside down...♪

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Garson007 said:

I'm wondering if there will be a few insurance companies going under. Lots of natural disasters in the US this year.

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maumau said:

Motorist rescues rabbit.

[video=youtube_share;6uBuxJXlWrQ]https://youtu.be/6uBuxJXlWrQ[/video]

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marine1 said:

I see some libs already blaming trump

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Randhir said:

Yeah, like moronic cons who used to blame Obama/teh gays/libs etc.

Do you never get tired of being outraged and triggered by stupid things?

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marine1 said:

Blame Obama for what? Creating ISIS? Supporting terror?.

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marine1 said:

No, I dont, especially when the left wing nutjobs resort to things like this.

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marine1 said:

Blame Obama for what? Creating ISIS? Supporting terror?
Well those things probably are true
No, I dont, especially when the left wing nutjobs resort to things like this.

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Randhir said:

Haha you want to convince him with facts.

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Firefighters in Southern California were under pressure on Saturday to contain six raging wildfires, which have destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to flee, before fierce winds are expected to strengthen again.

Forecasters predict wind gusts to increase in intensity by Saturday night, challenging the 8,700 firefighters who have been battling the fast-moving blazes for five days from the San Diego area up the Pacific Coast to Santa Barbara County. The fires killed at least one person, destroyed 500 structures, hurt six people and injured four firefighters.

The strengthening winds "potentially put the fires that are currently burning at risk of spreading," said Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "Firefighters have been taking advantage of the past 24 hours to try to get containment lines and strengthen them so that does not happen."

At the peak, about 212,000 people were forced to flee their homes. Evacuation orders were lifted in some areas, welcome news for many in shelters waiting to see if their homes survived.

California governor Jerry Brown on Saturday will meet with residents affected by the fires and tour the wildfire damage in Ventura County northwest of Los Angeles, where the largest of the blazes, the Thomas Fire has charred 143,000 acres (57,870 hectares) and destroyed 476 structures.

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The most destructive wildfire raging in southern California has expanded significantly, scorching an area larger than New York City.

The Thomas fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties has consumed 230,000 acres in the past week.

Fanned by strong winds, it has become the fifth largest wildfire in recorded state history after it grew by more than 50,000 acres in a day.

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Firefighters grappling with a wildfire that has burned out of control for 10 days on California's scenic coastline, destroying more than 700 homes, sought on Wednesday to defend homes from flames whipped by resurgent Santa Ana winds.

The so-called Thomas Fire, already the state's fifth-largest wildland blaze on record, remained a threat to the communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito as darkness fell and winds picked up, fire officials said.

"Very high fuel loading, critically low fuel moistures, above average temperatures and single-digit relative humidities will continue to support fire growth on the west, east and north sides of the Thomas incident," the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.

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