Southern California Wildfire Spreads Rapidly, Burning 4,856 Hectares

JAKARTA - A wildfire ravaging Southern California, United States, has grown from 50 hectares to 4,856 hectares, forcing the evacuation of residents near Lake Piru. Firefighters continue to battle the blaze by air and ground, authorities said.

The Canyon Fire broke out east of the lake in Ventura County in the afternoon and quickly spread into neighboring Los Angeles County, fire officials said, as quoted by Fox News.

"The Canyon Fire is currently burning in the Lake Piru area between Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Several areas are under evacuation orders and warnings," the Los Angeles Fire Department said, as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu Agency on Saturday, August 9.

Evacuation orders were issued for the Lake Piru Recreation Area and surrounding areas, with evacuation warnings extended to ranches at the western end of Holser Canyon, NBC 4 reported.

Firefighting aircraft replenished water at Lake Piru as ground crews battled the fire.

The cause of the fire, one of four active wildfires, remains under investigation.

California has experienced more than 5,124 fires this year, burning nearly 280,000 acres—nearly triple the area scorched during the same time last year, NBC 4 reported, citing state data.