The fire with rapid spread invites thousands of evacuations in California

A rapidly growing forest fire in northwestern Los Angeles has caused compulsory evacuations for thousands of residents, as extreme heat and dry conditions feed its rapid spread.

The fire, named The Canyon Fire, fled Thursday afternoon along the border of the counties of Ventura and Los Angeles. Friday morning, it went from 30 acres to nearly 5,000 acres.

More than 2,700 residents were invited to evacuate, while 14,000 other people have received evacuation warnings, the fire service of the county of Ventura said in a statement.

The fire was partially contained, with 25% of its perimeter under control on Friday, officials said.

Extreme heat and dry conditions complicate fire -fighting efforts. The National Weather Service provides temperatures at 100 ° F (37.7 ° C) in the coming days.

The city of Santa Clarita, one of the closest to the fire, is on alert. City officials urged residents to stay away from the fires affected by fires.

“The #Canyonfire spreads quickly in conditions of heat and extreme drys near the line of the county of Ventura – the”, wrote the supervisor of the county of the Kathryn Barger on X.

“If you are in Santa Clarita, Hasley Canyon or Val Verde, take the evacuation orders seriously – when the first speakers say to go, go immediately. Stay aware – please do not risk lives.”

Thursday evening, there was no injury or residence damaged by the fire, said the fire service of the county.

The Canyon fire is one of the many forest fires active across the state, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Gifford’s fire, the largest active fire in the state, has engulfed nearly 100,000 acres and burns in the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.

Forest fires have become more frequent in California, experts citing climate change as a key factor. Warm and drier conditions have made the fire seasons more and more destructive.

In January of this year, Eaton’s fire torn the Altadena district just north of Los Angeles, killing at least 31 people and destroying thousands of structures.