LOS ANGELES — A massive fire in the Angeles National Forest nearly doubled in size overnight, threatening 12,000 homes Monday in a 20-mile-long swath of flames and smoke and surging toward a mountaintop broadcasting complex.
The fire that burned at least 18 houses was moving north, south and east through the rugged foothills northeast of Los Angeles. Despite the lack of wind, it surged without letup by running through steep granite canyons and feeding on brush that had not burned for 40 years to a century, fire officials said.
"It's burning everywhere," U.S. Forest Service spokesman Dianne Cahir said. "When it gets into canyons that haven't burned in numerous years, it takes off. If you have any insight into the good Lord upstairs, put in a request."
The fire had burned 134 square miles of brush and trees by early Monday and was just 5 percent contained.
About 12,000 homes, as well as communications and astronomy centers atop Mount Wilson, were threatened by fire.
Another wildfire has forced evacuations and threatened 2,000 houses in a scenic farm area of San Bernardino County, the Forest Service said Monday.
A mandatory evacuation was in force for Oak Glen, about 90 minutes east of Los Angeles. The community has many apple orchards in rolling hills below the San Bernardino Mountains.
Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
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