Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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November 15, 2008

Residents of California Evacuate as Fire Rages
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1F66830:A6F02AD83191E160800A66FF82DD4B1FC030207A0BD70133&
 
Wildfires roar through residential areas in south of state 
A Los Angeles County fire department helicopter drops water during a
wildfire that destroyed several homes in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles,
15 Nov 2008Authorities in the U.S. state of California have ordered
thousands of
people to evacuate their homes Saturday, as wildfires roar through
residential areas in the south of the state. In Los Angeles, a
fast-moving fire tore through a neighborhood and briefly surrounded the
UCLA-Olive View hospital, cutting power. Firefighters continue to fight
the flames, which first broke out on Friday night. Fires
also continue in the celebrity enclave of Montecito. More than 5,000
homes have been evacuated since the fires first erupted on Thursday
night. Actors and personalities including Oprah Winfrey and Rob
Lowe were among those fleeing their Montecito homes. Christopher
Lloyd, known for his role in the "Back to the Future," movies lost his
home to the blaze. Authorities are investigating the causes of both
fires.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.


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