250,000 flee fires in California

Flames sweep 520 square miles, burn hundreds of homes

— More than a quarter-million people fled their homes Monday as wildfires continued to rage across Southern California, burning scores of buildings, clogging highways and sending smoke and ash over a wide area.

At least one person was killed and dozens were injured. At least 655 homes burned -about 130 in one mountain area alone - and 168 businesses and other structures were destroyed. Thousands of other buildings were threatened by more than a dozen blazes covering at least 520 square miles.

"The sky was just red. Everywhere I looked was red, glowing. Law enforcement came barreling in with police cars with loudspeakers telling everyone to get out now," said Ronnie Leigh,55, who fled her home at a mobile home park as smoke darkened the sky over the nearby ridgeline.

For more information see today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Subscribers can read the story here on ArkansasOnline.

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