California canyon fire spreads to 1,000 acres, forces evacuations

ISTANBUL

A fast-moving wildfire in Southern California expanded aggressively from 50 acres to 4,856 acres by Thursday night, forcing evacuations near Lake Piru as firefighting crews launched an aggressive air and ground response, authorities said.

The Canyon Fire ignited east of the lake in Ventura County during the afternoon and quickly spread into neighboring Los Angeles County, according to fire officials cited by Fox News.

“The Canyon Fire is currently burning between Los Angeles County and Ventura County in the Piru Lake area. Several zones are under evacuation order and warning,” the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

Evacuation orders were issued for the Lake Piru Recreation Area and surrounding communities, with evacuation warnings extended to ranches at the west end of Holser Canyon, according to TV station NBC 4.

Firefighting aircraft refilled at Lake Piru as ground crews worked to contain the fast-moving flames.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

It is one of at least four active wildfires in the region.

California has already seen more than 5,124 fires this year, burning nearly 280,000 acres — nearly triple the area scorched by the same time last year, according to state figures cited by NBC 4.