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Wildfire Ravages Over 130 Homes In California

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With more than 130 homes lost to the relentless wildfire raging outside Los Angeles, firefighters were running out of options—until a sudden change in the weather on Friday gave them a rare opportunity to battle back and bring the fire under control.

Fueled by hurricane-force winds, the Mountain Fire near Camarillo surged to over 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) in a matter of days, with the high winds this week contributing to the rapid escalation.

Forced to flee by the advancing flames, thousands of people described the chaos, with some saying they had only minutes to collect their pets and essential items as the fire spread unpredictably, jumping from one home to another.

The smell of smoke was all Linda Fefferman needed to recognize that it was time to go.

“I’m trying to load the car with animals and important papers, my oxygen concentrator, and when it got too smoky for me, I knew I had to get out,” she told a local broadcaster.

A neighbor with a chainsaw helped remove a fallen tree that was blocking her path, and Fefferman was able to flee.

“I went down to the Goodwill parking lot, watched the smoke, you know, probably our own house burning.

“Nothing is left. It’s gone,” she said. “It’s all gone.”

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Fefferman said she thought 14 or 15 houses on her street alone had been destroyed by the flames.

Authorities said Thursday that initial inspections revealed at least 132 homes had been lost, with 88 more damaged.

The blaze erupted on Wednesday morning and spread rapidly, fanned by fierce seasonal Santa Ana winds from California’s desert interior.

Gusts up to 80 miles (130 kilometers) an hour pushed smoke and flames sideways, with terrifying footage showing fire engulfing brush, orchards and properties.

Those winds dropped Friday, with meteorologists saying they did not expect them to return for at least a few days.

showing fire engulfing brush, orchards and properties.

Those winds dropped Friday, with meteorologists saying they did not expect them to return for at least a few days.

That was welcome news for firefighters, some of whom had been on the frontlines for 36 hours straight, said Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner.

Nevertheless, the blaze remained only seven percent contained, and the area — home to 30,000 people — was not out of danger.

“The fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain, with dry and receptive fuels, which have challenged containment efforts,” said an update from Cal Fire.

“The fire remains a threat to critical infrastructure. Islands of unburned fuel will continue to burn within the fire footprint.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom visited the area Thursday, and declared a state of emergency, which should free up resources. More than 2,500 personnel were engaged in the fight.

Crews on the ground have been defending homes with hose lines and working alongside bulldozers trying to remove fuel.

More than 2,500 personnel were engaged in the fight. Crews on the ground have been defending homes with hose lines and working alongside bulldozers trying to remove fuel.

The Eastern Updates 

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