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Wildfires Force Evacuations In California, New Mexico

Firefighters keep watch at Green Valley as the fire has burned more than 1,400 acres since Thursday in the Angeles National Forest just north of Castaic, in California.
Zhao Hanrong
/
Xinhua /Landov
Firefighters keep watch at Green Valley as the fire has burned more than 1,400 acres since Thursday in the Angeles National Forest just north of Castaic, in California.

Wildfires in California and New Mexico forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes Saturday evening.

The Los Angeles Times has a riveting account of how the Powerhouse fire near a hydroelectric plant in Santa Clarita burned through a few homes.

Patty Robitaille, 61, was forced to leave her home. She grabbed a few documents, pictures and her pit bull. Then, she looked back: "Driving away, you could see the town burning up," she told the paper. "I don't think there's going to be much left."

NBC Los Angeles reports that at least five homes have been burned in the fire and about 1,000 structures were in danger. The fire has burned 19,500 acres so far.

Meanwhile in New Mexico, the AP reports that the Thompson Ridge fire near Jemez Springs, "grew to nearly two square miles by Saturday night." The AP adds:

"Between 40 and 50 homes in the area were evacuated as more than 200 crew members and a helicopter were fighting the blaze burning through pine forests and brush.

"Forecasters said some rain was possible in both fire areas on Sunday as well as gusty winds."

As the AP notes, we are still early in the fire season. Here's some video of the flames provided by NBC Los Angeles:

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Eyder Peralta is NPR's East Africa correspondent based in Nairobi, Kenya.