Hot, dry winds fan wildfires raging through S. California

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — Hot, dry Santa Ana winds that drove a wildfire to the outskirts of several foothill communities and forced the evacuation of thousands of people could keep the pressure on firefighters over the weekend as they battle blazes throughout Southern California.

Winds between 25 and 35 mph and gusts up to 50 mph were forecast in some areas today, said Frank O'Leary of the National Weather Service. On Sunday, winds of 40 mph and gusts up to 60 mph were predicted.

"It's going to be a lot of hard work," said Bill Peters, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry. "We just don't know what the winds are going to do. But we're planning for the worst so we're not caught by surprise."

On Friday, flames jumped ridges and roads on a march toward communities in San Bernardino County. The Grand Prix fire forced the temporary closure of I-210 and I-15, the main route from Southern California to Las Vegas, as firefighters battled flames from back yards.

Four homes valued at a total of $1 million, two outbuildings and six vehicles were destroyed in a sparsely populated area as the fire moved west. Several thousand homes were evacuated as the flames neared housing tracts.

"We got out what was important, and what's most important is us," said Christiane Elin, 30, as she and her husband gathered with hundreds of other people at an evacuation center at Rancho Cucamonga High School.

The Grand Prix fire, which authorities blamed on arson, was one of several that swept through California this week, destroying nine homes and chewing through about 20,500 acres overall.

A fire near Piru in Ventura County had charred about 700 acres and was burning away from homes. At Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, 50 miles north of San Diego, firefighters were battling a 4,680-acre blaze that burned within a mile of ranches in De Luz, a rural community of about 300 homes.

In Los Angeles County on Friday, flames west of Santa Clarita blackened 200-plus acres, destroying one trailer and leaving scattered homes in the area vulnerable, said county fire Inspector Edward Osorio. The cause was under investigation and no containment time was predicted.

A 2,857-acre arson fire in the Reche Canyon area of Riverside County was completely contained Thursday. It had destroyed five homes, a barn, 21 outbuildings, a boat and several vehicles.