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A fire burning out of control in Southern California has grown to a massive 20,000 acres, officials said Sunday, as residents in an area north of Los Angeles were forced to evacuate.
All photos: REUTERS/Jonathan Alcorn
The blaze, which has been dubbed the "Sand Fire" after a nearby neighborhood, is only 10 percent contained, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG).
Orange flames could be seen lapping at the night sky early Sunday, as a number of roads remained closed and health officials warned of poor air quality and hazardous smoke.
The fire has been burning in California's Santa Clarita Valley since Friday, but has now shifted to threaten more populated areas such as the Sand Canyon neighborhood of Santa Clarita, county fire officials said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
At least 1,500 homes are threatened, the Los Angeles Times reported.
California is experiencing a record five-year drought and trees and brush are at risk of igniting from the smallest spark.