LOS ANGELES - A wildfire is rapidly growing in an area northwest of Los Angeles, forcing thousands of people to evacuate.
What is now being called the Canyon Fire was initially thought to be about 30 acres, but the blaze has since scorched a staggering 1 500 acres across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to CALFire estimates as of 10pm ET.
According to Ventura County officials, the fire broke out on Thursday at around 2pm local time northeast of Piru — an unincorporated town with just over 2 000 residents. The Canyon Fire was fuelled by a heat wave that experts had previously warned about. Temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees near Lake Piru on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
Officials have now said that the fire is moving away from Piru but is moving east towards Interstate 5 in LA County.
Firefighters making progress on the canyon fires in Los Angeles. (Pic: Los Angeles Times)