OJAI, Calif. - Firefighters lost ground Sunday against a large blaze in a national forest as gusty winds fanned the flames, shutting down highways and prompting officials to urge evacuations.
The fire, which has burned for almost two weeks about 75 miles northwest of Los Angeles, nearly doubled in size Sunday. The blaze moved within about 10 miles of the artists' enclave of Ojai, a town of about 9,000 that is a popular weekend escape for the rich and famous.
Meanwhile, two new wildfires burned eight miles apart in the desert northwest of Palm Springs, forcing authorities to evacuate about 2,500 people but allowing them to return early Sunday evening.
In the Los Padres National Forest, winds slowed enough Sunday afternoon to allow firefighters to renew air operations to help corral the blaze, which has scorched more than 93 square miles of Ventura County since it began on Labor Day. Officials initially estimated the fire's size to be 125 square miles Sunday, but revised the estimate later in the day after re-mapping the area.
Low humidity and high winds over the weekend caused firefighters to lose ground. It was only 15 percent contained Sunday after being 30 percent contained the day before. High winds and low humidity were expected to create extreme fire conditions through Monday morning.
The fire had threatened a cluster of homes northwest of Fillmore early Sunday, said Forest Service spokesman Joe Pasinato. But the winds shifted and sent the fire toward Ojai in the afternoon.
"Ojai is the biggest danger," fire inspector Scott Ross said.
No mandatory evacuations were ordered, but all 90 students in a boarding school near the fire cleared out.
Portions of two highways were closed, but the blaze was west of Interstate 5 and burning away from it. The interstate, which had been threatened in recent days, remained open.
Marsha Campiglio, 58, who lives in the small forest community of Matilija Canyon near Ojai, said she had been "prepared to go at any time" since being contacted by officials at 6 a.m.
"We've been putting stuff in the car all day, but we've been watching football too," she said, laughing. "We're nervously watchful. ... We have three cats and two of them look nervous. They're sniffing the ash."
The fire, ignited by someone burning debris, has remained largely in the national forest on the border between Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Meanwhile, two homes and two outbuildings were destroyed by a fire that ignited Saturday afternoon about 80 miles east of Los Angeles near the town of Cherry Valley, said Becky Luther of the California Department of Forestry.
The fire had burned about 1,500 acres, or two square miles, and was 50 percent contained Sunday afternoon, Luther said.
Another fire in Banning apparently started in a structure and spread rapidly toward Cherry Valley, swelling from 500 to 1,400 acres in a few hours. Authorities said it did not appear the two fires would merge.
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Firefighters Lose Ground Against BlazeOJAI, Calif. - Firefighters lost ground Sunday against a large blaze in a national forest as gusty winds fanned the flames, shutting down highways and prompting officials to urge evacuations.
The fire, which has burned for almost two weeks about 75 miles northwest of Los Angeles, nearly doubled in size Sunday. The blaze moved within about 10 miles of the artists' enclave of Ojai, a town of about 9,000 that is a popular weekend escape for the rich and famous.
Meanwhile, two new wildfires burned eight miles apart in the desert northwest of Palm Springs, forcing authorities to evacuate about 2,500 people but allowing them to return early Sunday evening.
In the Los Padres National Forest, winds slowed enough Sunday afternoon to allow firefighters to renew air operations to help corral the blaze, which has scorched more than 93 square miles of Ventura County since it began on Labor Day. Officials initially estimated the fire's size to be 125 square miles Sunday, but revised the estimate later in the day after re-mapping the area.
Low humidity and high winds over the weekend caused firefighters to lose ground. It was only 15 percent contained Sunday after being 30 percent contained the day before. High winds and low humidity were expected to create extreme fire conditions through Monday morning.
The fire had threatened a cluster of homes northwest of Fillmore early Sunday, said Forest Service spokesman Joe Pasinato. But the winds shifted and sent the fire toward Ojai in the afternoon.
"Ojai is the biggest danger," fire inspector Scott Ross said.
No mandatory evacuations were ordered, but all 90 students in a boarding school near the fire cleared out.
Portions of two highways were closed, but the blaze was west of Interstate 5 and burning away from it. The interstate, which had been threatened in recent days, remained open.
Marsha Campiglio, 58, who lives in the small forest community of Matilija Canyon near Ojai, said she had been "prepared to go at any time" since being contacted by officials at 6 a.m.
"We've been putting stuff in the car all day, but we've been watching football too," she said, laughing. "We're nervously watchful. ... We have three cats and two of them look nervous. They're sniffing the ash."
The fire, ignited by someone burning debris, has remained largely in the national forest on the border between Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Meanwhile, two homes and two outbuildings were destroyed by a fire that ignited Saturday afternoon about 80 miles east of Los Angeles near the town of Cherry Valley, said Becky Luther of the California Department of Forestry.
The fire had burned about 1,500 acres, or two square miles, and was 50 percent contained Sunday afternoon, Luther said.
Another fire in Banning apparently started in a structure and spread rapidly toward Cherry Valley, swelling from 500 to 1,400 acres in a few hours. Authorities said it did not appear the two fires would merge.
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