August 9,2013; 11:22AM,EDT
Firefighters
battle a wildfire on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013, in Cabazon, Calif. About
1,500 people have fled and three are injured as a wildfire in the
Southern California mountains quickly spreads. Several small communities
have evacuated. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)A wildfire in Southern California's High Desert region continues to rage largely uncontrolled on Friday.
The blaze, located just 4 miles south of Banning or 80 miles east of Los Angeles, has burned 16,000 acres and was 25 percent contained as of 9:30 a.m. PDT Friday, according to CALFIRE.
Firefighters struggled to control the blaze on Thursday; this resulted in five injured firefighters and one injured civilian.
The fire continued to burn actively into the night, fanned by gusty winds out of the west. The wind has helped the fire and smoke move eastward toward the major Interstate 10, into the Cabazon area, where evacuation orders are in effect.
Mother Nature isn't expected to cooperate with fire personnel on Friday as a low pressure system in the upper levels of the atmosphere transfers occasionally gusty west-southwesterly winds down to the surface.
The wind, in combination with seasonable warmth and dry conditions, will work against containment of the blaze.
RELATED:
VIDEO: Southwest Weather
Viewing Conditions: Perseid Meteor Shower
How to Survive a Shark Attack
Those living in communities south and west of the blaze should be spared of major impact; however, those to the north and east should be prepared to take action if ordered.
Smoke from the blaze may continue to drift eastward into Palm Springs over the weekend.
Slightly gentler winds on Saturday may aid fire personnel in their pursuit to subdue the blaze.
Story by AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Ben Noll
No comments:
Post a Comment