Fires destroy homes in LA, Santa Barbara County

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LOS ANGELES, Nov 15 (AP): Fierce winds on Saturday fanned a wildfire in northern Los Angeles that quickly spread across neighborhoods, burning several homes and threatening dozens others, while firefighters to the west in Santa Barbara County battled a blaze that had destroyed more than 100 homes.
The fire in the foothill community of Sylmar on the edge of the Angeles National Forest broke out late Friday and charred over two square miles in three hours, prompting officials to order hundreds of residents to leave their homes.
At least five homes were damaged or destroyed, fire spokeswoman Melissa Kelley said. The fire threatened thousands of homes and a hospital, but officials determined it was safer for patients at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center to stay put.
Some residents left their homes even before mandatory evacuation orders were issued.
"I can see the smoke. It's terrible. I'm going to take my dog and go," Dorothy Boyer told The Associated Press from her home late Friday.
More than 500 firefighters were struggling to protect thousands of homes at risk of catching fire from flying embers. Several water-dropping helicopters flew overhead as heavy smoke blanketed the area.
Los Angeles County was under a red flag warning of gusty winds and dry conditions creating extreme fire danger. Winds gusted up to 60 mph in the Sylmar area and they weren't expected to let up until about 3 a.m., National Weather Service meteorologist Jamie Meier said.
The shifting winds were causing the fire to move uphill toward the forest, downhill toward homes and sometimes skipping across canyons, Frazeur said.
About 80 miles to the west, an uncontained blaze in the Santa Barbara community of Montecito had forced the evacuation of more than 5,400 homes since it started Thursday night. About 800 firefighters were battling the fire at the wealthy, celebrity-studded enclave, and they were expected to make significant progress through Saturday morning, said Santa Barbara city fire spokesman John Ahlman. He said homes would not be in serious danger if the winds remained calm.