Wildfires

Wildfires - California, USA

A wildfire on the northern edge of Los Angeles rapidly grew on Saturday into what the mayor called the largest blaze in the city’s history, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people and the closure of a major highway.

The 5,000-acre (2,023-hectare) La Tuna Fire, named after the canyon area where it erupted on Friday, has led authorities to evacuate more than 700 homes in a north Los Angeles neighborhood and in nearby Burbank and Glendale, officials said.

Authorities warned of erratic winds that could force them to widen the evacuation zone, after the fire destroyed three houses in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Wildfires - Washington USA

Wildfires were threatening thousands of homes and hindering travel in the Pacific Northwest on Saturday.

One such blaze has burned 23 square miles (60 square kilometers) about 80 miles (129 kilometers) southeast of Seattle and forced authorities to issue new evacuation notices. About 3,800 homes were at risk, authorities said.