US wildfires - live: Evacuations ordered in Colorado Springs as homes destroyed in California
Wildfires are raging across the western US as this year’s fire season gets off to an early start
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A wildfire near Laguna Beach, California, has already destroyed 20 homes and will likely continue to ravage the region throughout the day.
The blaze — called the Coastal Fire — raged through the early morning hours on Thursday, during which time fire crews were dispatched to attempt to stop its advance.
Despite their efforts, by Thursday morning a score of homes — including five multi-million dollar mansions, one of which was listed for $10m — were left in smoldering ruins as the blaze continued to grow to around 200 acres.
The wildfire is the fueled in-part the ongoing drought conditions affecting much of the western and southwestern US. The lack of rain causes regional flora to dry out, which then creates ideal conditions to fuel wildfires.
Fires contineus to burn in New Mexico, including the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire, which has spread to over 400 square miles and forced further evacuations as it spreads north. The Cerro Pelado fire, north of Albuquerque, has now put the Los Alamos National Laboratory on evacuation alert.
In Colorado Springs, officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation order for a community surrounding a grass fire that started today.
Fire crews believe the California blaze started in the Aliso Woods Canyon, which abuts one of the Laguna neighborhoods. Mandatory evacuation orders have been enacted for parts of Laguna Niguel.
More mandatory evacuations orders have just been put in place to the north of the communities previously under mandatory evacuation
Communities to the south previously under evacuation warning remain in the same state
Southern California Edison, a local utility company, has reported “circuit activity” around the time the fire started yesterday to state regulators, AP reports
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles is warning of increased fire conditions throughout the region over the next few days, as humidity drops and wind speeds increase
Satellites from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have captured the smoke pouring out of the fire last night
Schools in the Laguna Beach area are still open as usual today, according to the school district
Lisa Bartlett, an Orange County supervisor, reports that the county is working toward getting a state emergency declared
Captain Virgil Ascunsion from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office estimates that around 900 homes are currently under evacuation
McGovern adds that damage inspection teams are currently working in the area
He reports that one firefighter has been injured
TJ McGovern from OCFA says that crews have worked through the night and are still out this morning, with no update on containment
The Orange County Fire Authority is giving an update on the fire now, streaming live on Facebook
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