Fast moving California fires forces evacuation

As many as 100,000 residents forced to flee a fierce, wind-driven wildfire that swept foothills and canyons along the northern edge of Los Angeles on Friday, engulfing homes, closing roads and devouring acre upon acre (hectare upon hectare) of dry brush and chaparral.

Blaze swept through Los Angeles County's San Fernando Valley continued to spread Friday afternoon, destroying at least 25 homes and prompting mandatory evacuation orders.

At least one person is dead and one injured in connection with the fast-moving threat, which exploded from 1,600 acres just after 2 a.m. Friday to more than 4,600 acres less than two hours later. The disaster was fueled by the same dry, windy conditions that led a northern California power provider to shut off power to nearly 1 million people this week over fears of igniting another one of the massive fires that have plagued the state.

The brush fire started in the Sylmar neighborhood around 9 p.m. local time Thursday and was engulfing an estimated 800 acres per hour by the next morning. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Authorities said Friday afternoon that flames remained most active at its northern edge. Activity in hard-hit Porter Ranch had calmed, but crews were still dealing with flare-ups, they said.