LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- An explosive wildfire broke out in San Bernardino in U.S. state of California early Thursday morning, burning into neighborhoods and forcing hundreds of residents to flee.
The wind-driven 200-acre (about 809,371 square meters) hillside fire erupted around 1:38 a.m. local time. At least six homes and two outbuildings have been destroyed in hours, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Around 1,300 people have been ordered to leave from approximately 490 homes as firefighters are continuing to work on perimeter control as well as structure defense, said the agency, adding that high winds continue in the area with gusts up to 96 kilometers per hour.
More than 350 personnel are on scene of the hillside fire for structure defense in the neighborhoods and the abutting wildland areas.
Multiple wildfires are burning across California as strong Santa Ana winds continue in the state through at least Thursday.
