Ademola Ayokanmi Daily : Ravaging Wildfire chased drivers out of their vehicles on California freeway

The drought spell in some US states got out of hands on Friday afternoon when a wildfire that broke out in the drought-parched foothills of San Bernardino County spread from 500 acres (200 hectares) to 3,500 acres (1,416 hectares) in a matter of hours, according to the U.S. Forest Service, reported Reuters media services.

The fast-moving brush fire that broke out in the Southern California foothills overran a packed freeway in a mountain pass destroying four structures and torching more than 20 vehicles before heading into the neighbouring community of Baldy Mesa, where it burned seven homes and destroyed 44 more vehicles.

In the face of the consuming fire, many drivers abandoned their cars and scrambled to safety. The blaze ripped down a portion of the Interstate 15 freeway that links Southern California and Las Vegas, forcing about 60 drivers to flee their cars on Cajon Pass.

The fire driven by wind which was sparked Friday afternoon was pushed by 40 mph winds, it raced up a hill and onto the traffic-clogged freeway, trapping hundreds of people amid a cauldron of smoke, flames and ash.

The impacts of the ravaging flame was however suppressed by a rare summer storm that came to the rescue and dampened the veracity of the fire thus allowing firefighters to contain 60 percent of a wildfire that swept across the California interstate highway, torching vehicles and sending people running for their lives. The light rain and moist air severely diminished the advance of the blaze in the mountainous Cajon Pass 55 miles northeast of Los Angeles, the main artery between Southern California and Las Vegas.

Though no serious injuries were reported but twenty vehicles were destroyed and 10 were damaged according to the U.S. Forest Service. Two people who declined medical attention suffered minor smoke inhalation, authorities said.

Throughout the weekend, television images across the United States showed fire-fighting aircraft dropping water onto burning vehicles. Several cars and two tractor-trailer rigs, one carrying new vehicles, were in flames. Apart from vehicles torched, four structures have been gutted by flames and several mountain communities were facing possible evacuations as crews battle to contain the blaze.

Also another wildfire that broke out Friday night in the San Gabriel Mountains and forced the evacuation of 300 campers in nearby Wrightwood is 35 percent contained after burning about 200 acres.