Show 1 i Evacuations are ordered as winds whip mountain fire j Ari Ani B. B Los Angeles Times A moving fast-moving wildfire in inthe inthe inthe the San Bernardino National Forest near Big Bear Lake Lakein in Southern California has scorched at least acres and forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents in what US U.S. Forest Service officials called their top priority among blazes across the nation Saturday The fire continues to grow as winds reaching 20 mph pushed flames fueled mostly by brush and timber from one dry area in the forest to the next At least people were told to evacuate in Fawnskin on the north shore of the lake said US U.S. Forest Service spokesman John Miller And a mandatory evacuation also was issued for Green Valley Lake an anarea anarea anarea area with a population of more than which touts itself as the Hidden Gem of the San Bernardino Mountains The fire which started Friday afternoon has moved so rapidly that firefighters are unable to get ahead of it Officials hoped winds would die down overnight Friday but i instead they picked up Between midnight and 6 am a.m. Saturday morning the fire increased by 2 2 1 miles and scorched at least acres by late morning By pm p.m. the total had reached and was increasing fast When you have wind windon on brush its it's a real flashy fuel that allows the fire to spread real quickly Miller said Right now this fire is nationally the No 1 priority That means if we request a resource we get it Among the resources being used to battle the blaze are more than personnel four helicopters 15 bulldozers and a large DC 10 aircraft that drops retardant No one has been hurt in inthe inthe inthe the fire Miller said The cause of the fire has determined not been i iFa Fa south another wildfire was spreading in i iSan San Diego County in areas north and east of Julian an anold anold anold old historic mining camp about 40 miles northeast of downtown San Diego The blaze was ignited about mid-day mid Saturday and grew quickly burning about acres by 4 15 pm p.m. said California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention spokesman Matt Mandatory evacuations for several hundred people were ordered in the communities of Whispering Pines and Wynola areas just outside Julian No one has been hurt and about personnel are battling the fire Officials said they were not sure what caused it to start |