Fires Prompt Gov. Jerry Brown To Declare State Of Emergency In LA, Ventura Counties
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — In response to the multiple fires that were ravaging the Southland Tuesday, California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in the counties of Los Angeles and Ventura.
High winds whipped the fires in both counties Tuesday morning. The Thomas Fire in Ventura County grew to a 50,000-acre blaze that has forced thousands in to evacuate.
In L.A. County, the Creek Fire fire broke out in the Kagel Canyon area above Sylmar and quickly raced across thousands of acres, forcing more than a 100,000 people from their homes and closing a stretch of the 210 Freeway and scorching 11,000 acres.
The Rye fire scorched at least 5,000 acres with 5 percent containment in the Santa Clarita area by 3 p.m. Tuesday, prompting some evacuations and the closure of a section of the 5 Freeway and state Route 126 as a precaution.
Dramatic images show the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Santa Clarita dwarfed by plumes of smoke in the background.
