AND fast growing forest fire broke out north of Los Angeles, while two large fires burning in the metropolitan area for more than two weeks were brought under control, firefighters said.
A fearsome blaze consumed the hills near Castaic Lake on Wednesday, spreading rapidly and covering more than 9,400 hectares (3,800 acres) in just a few hours.
An evacuation was ordered for 31,000 people around the lake, which is located 56 km (35 miles) north of Los Angeles and near the city of Santa Clarita.
The United States Forest Service said the entire 700,000-acre (2,800-square-kilometer) park in the San Gabriel Mountains was closed to visitors.
As the new fire raged, the two deadly wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles came under greater control, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said.
Since the two fires broke out on Jan. 7, they have burned an area nearly the size of Washington, D.C., killed 28 people and damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures, Cal Fire said.
Private forecaster AccuWeather predicts damage and economic losses at more than $250 billion.
