Wind fuels large blaze north of Los Angeles

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LOS ANGELES, Sept 23 (AFP): A wind-driven wildfire erupted in a rugged rural region northwest of Los Angeles Tuesday, forcing scattered evacuations as it surged towards populated areas.
The fire, which broke out around 10:30 am (1730 GMT), ripped through more than 6,000 acres (2,400 hectares) of brush and forest and was nearing the community of Moorpark, 45 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, officials said.
By 4:00 pm the fire was completely out of control although a lull in winds raised hopes that firefighters could make progress against the blaze, Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Bill Nash said.
"The winds are at about 15 miles per hour in the area, which is better than they could be so we're hoping to gain some ground on this fire," Nash told KABC local television news.