Strong winds, steep terrain hamper crews battling Los Angeles area’s first major fire of the year

By RYAN SUN
Associated Press

GORMAN, Calif. (AP) — Strong winds are pushing flames from a wildfire through dry brush in mountains along Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles. Officials on Sunday warned residents in the fire’s path to be prepared to leave if the blaze explodes in size again. LA County’s first major wildfire of the year swiftly grew to nearly 23 square miles, one day after it forced the evacuation of at least 1,200 campers, off-roaders and hikers from a recreation area. The blaze, dubbed the Post Fire, was just 2% contained. In Northern California, a small wildfire prompted evacuation orders in a sparsely populated area near Lake Sonoma.