Fires Break Out In California And Along West Coast

Wildfires have been breaking out all along the west coast wreaking havoc on the dry terrain. On Sunday in Los Angeles, a brush fire broke causing a dangerous threat to a densely populated neighborhood located near the freeway.

Two homes were damaged in the Silver Lake neighborhood as well as three shed-like structures. Several trees also went up in flames as the wildfire scorched people’s yards, according to ABC news.

Homeowners and the authorities were doing all they could to contain the raging fire as neighbors scrambled with water hoses and buckets to put out the fire. Fire fighters and water-dropping helicopters doused the scorched hillsides allowing the flames to burn only 8 acres.

Several other fires have broken out all across California and New Mexico as the hot, dry conditions have made it easy for fires to spread.

A different wildfire that broke out Sunday forced 75 residents to evacuate their homes from a small town in California near the Mexico border. The fire stretched over two square miles with triple digit temperatures in the ranching community.

Also, recently in New Mexico, a fire erupted destroying 24 homes in the Manzano Moutains across a 28 square mile stretch. The fire was able to be largely contained because the “humidity overnight allowed crews to strengthen lines around the fire and keep a lookout for hot spots where flames could jump the line,” according to ABC.

During the most recent Los Angeles fire, one man, Paul Gaffner, had been swimming at a pool when he noticed an enormous amount of smoke coming from the area near his house. Upon returning home his neighbors were in his yard dousing the flames with water buckets.

Gaffner immediately joined in the efforts to contain the fire recalling, “It was a lot going on. You’ve got it in front of you, you don’t have time to panic.”

Fortunately the fires have been largely contained but they will remain a looming threat on the west coast as summer temperatures rise.