Los Angeles • A wildfire raged out of control along the northern edge of Los Angeles early Friday, forcing thousands of people from their homes as firefighters battled flames from the air and on the ground.
The blaze erupted late Thursday along the northern tier of the San Fernando Valley as powerful Santa Ana winds swept Southern California, fanning several destructive blazes.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said the fire had grown to more than 6 square miles before dawn and an estimated 12,700 homes were under evacuation orders.
Helicopters made repeated water drops as crews on the ground attacked flames in and around homes.