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Fire in Ventura County, Calif., now 80 percent contained

FILLMORE, Calif., April 9 (UPI) -- Evacuation orders were lifted overnight as a wildfire in Ventura County, Calif., came 80 percent under control by Tuesday morning, officials said.

Fire officials said no injuries were reported from the blaze near Fillmore, but flames seared about 170 acres Monday and burned at least two homes, the Los Angeles Times reported.

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The fire was started by a downed power line as wind gusts of nearly 50 mph buffeted Southern California, snapping trees, kicking up clouds of dust across highways and leaving thousands of customers without electricity from Elsinore to Lancaster, officials said.

The blaze initially burned a mobile home before spreading to adjacent brush, quickly moving uphill, fire officials said.

"We got a lot of work done last night" after the winds died down, Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Mike Lindbery said Tuesday morning. "Today is our day to get strong work done. ... We have limited time before these predicted Santa Ana winds [return]."

Earlier Monday, about 18,000 people were without power in Los Angeles, and in cities from Pomona to Lancaster, utility officials said.

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