Station fire hits 105,000 acres

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A wildfire north of Los Angeles has burned 105,000 acres, consuming structures and threatening homes from Acton to Altadena, California fire officials said.

Winds picked up Monday afternoon, driving the Station fire -- the largest of eight currently burning in California -- westward in the direction of other neighborhoods, including Sunland and Santa Clarita, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The fire, blamed for the deaths of two firefighters, has destroyed at least 18 homes and threatens another 12,000 in suburban areas and desert communities, the newspaper said.

Evacuations were under way as the blaze pushed forward in three directions, fire officials said.

While fire officials told the Times the blaze hasn't burned to the top of Mount Wilson, they said the area was vulnerable. Firefighters stationed around the historic Mount Wilson Observatory and a large array of television and radio broadcast towers had to pull out of the area Monday because winds were growing stronger and the fire was shifting directions.

"We are making progress. But it is very slow and very dangerous," incident commander Mike Dietrich of the U.S. Forest Service said. "We have to wait for the fire to come to us."

Two firefighters were killed Sunday when they drove off the side of a treacherous road in the Mount Gleason area, south of Acton, officials said.

Fire officials said the blaze was about 5 percent contained, KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, reported. Officials said full containment may not be reached until next week.

A fire in San Bernardino County was spreading Monday, threatening 2,000 homes near Yucaipa, authorities said.

Meanwhile, state fire officials said a wildfire in the Gold Country town of Auburn scorched scores of businesses and homes Sunday evening, the San Francisco Chronicle said.

Firefighters evacuated residents along several roads leading to Auburn, and sent an automated call to all homes within 7 miles of the blaze, requesting voluntary evacuations, the newspaper said.