Firefighters battling through the night to tame a new blaze near Los Angeles appeared to be making progress, even as dangerous fire weather continued across Southern California.
A massive response involving planes, bulldozers and 4,000 personnel swung into action as flames raced across the hills in Castaic, 56 km (35 miles) north of Los Angeles.
About 31,000 people have been ordered to flee their homes, gnawing at the misery in the region already emerging from two deadly wildfires that tore through America’s second-largest city this month.
The newly-opened Hughes Fire continued to grow overnight, and by Thursday it had consumed 10,000 hectares (4,050 acres), but its rate of growth slowed significantly after an explosive first few hours.
Firefighters said that the flames were contained to 14 percent – the expression of how much perimeter is convinced is static.
