Thousands of residents in Southern California were fleeing their homes after being told by authorities to evacuate as wind-swept wildfires raged in several areas.
Officials sent out more than 11,000 mandatory evacuation notices in the city of Carlsbad, where a wildfire erupted on Wednesday — one of several in recent days in San Diego County that have threatened life and property.
State officials say the record-high temperatures were a contributing factor to the rash of wildfires.
Helicopters were being used to drop water on the fires.
"The blaze was reported around 10:40 a.m. near Poinsettia Lane and Alicante Road, just east of El Camino Real. Winds pushed the flames west toward neighborhoods and some high-tech businesses."Carlsbad officials were reporting that Dove Library, Aviara Community Park and Alga Norte Community Park were closed."Also, a spokeswoman for Legoland California said the park is being evacuated as a safety precaution because of electrical power surges."The county of San Diego reported that more than 11,600 residences and businesses received reverse 9-1-1 calls urging the occupants to evacuate."
Farther north, Camp Pendleton, a U.S. Marine Corps base, was also evacuated due to a fire.
The AP says:
"Earlier Wednesday, authorities reported 25 percent containment of a 2.42-square-mile fire that broke out Tuesday and forced thousands of people to flee the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego. In Santa Barbara County, a 600-acre blaze near the city of Lompoc was 50 percent contained."
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