CALABASAS, Calif.—A car crash that downed power lines turned the hills northwest of Los Angeles into torches, forcing thousands from their homes and putting entire neighborhoods at risk in this prosperous semi-rural enclave.
Fifty-foot-high flames erupted on the ridges and embers turned trees into candles Saturday afternoon. And while the flames eased overnight, firefighters continued Sunday to battle the blaze. Some 3,000 homes were threatened and about 5,000 residents were evacuated, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
The fire flared as Southern California sweltered under temperatures that hit the mid-90s in many places. Sunday’s high in Calabasas was expected to be around 86.
At its height, the flames put about 3,000 homes at risk, although not under imminent threat, fire officials said.
“We’re dealing with a fire that’s moving in every direction simultaneously... We can’t get to everybody,” Battalion Chief Dennis Cross told KNBC-TV.
