Wildfire has consumed 10,000 acres of land near Los Angeles, forcing thousands to evacuate

A powerful wildfire is burning through more than 10,000 acres in Southern California, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate and leaving thousands without power.

The pair of fast-growing fires forced the evacuation of 10,000 residents of the Somis and Camarillo areas Wednesday morning — and the transfer of farm animals such as horses to the Ventura County Fairgrounds. According to KTLA,

Officials said both wildfires — the larger Mountain Fire and the more localized Broad Fire — were 0% contained as of Wednesday evening.

Southern California Edison cut power to Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernardino counties on Wednesday as the Mountain Fire spread across the region due to Santa Ana winds, the outlet reports.

More than 3,500 homes and businesses were threatened by the fire, one of the worst wind events in years. According to the Los Angeles Times,

Winds reached 40 mph and prevented firefighters from receiving air support in the form of water-dropping helicopters and planes, According to ABC News,

“It’s like trying to extinguish a blowtorch with a squirt gun,” Capt. Tony McHale of the Ventura County Fire Department said in a statement. Interview with KABC-TV,

Ventura County officials said several people were being treated at local hospitals for smoke inhalation, according to KTLA.

“We know we’ve lost homes, we know we’ve had homes damaged, and we know about injuries but I don’t have a count,” public information officer Scott DeTorre told ABC News.

The National Weather Service has issued a rare red flag warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties — which also includes Malibu and the San Gabriel Mountains, where wind gusts could reach nearly 100 mph, ABC reports. .

A second wildfire broke out in the Malibu area of ​​Los Angeles County on Wednesday, ABC News reports. That blaze – named the Broad Fire – has burned 50 acres southwest of Pacific Coast Highway near Pepperdine University. According to Cal Fire,

The cause of each fire is under investigation, according to Cal Fire.

FEMA officials announced that federal funds would be used to assist in the response to the Mountain Fire.