(ETH) – California can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to these deadly wildfires as a new report is indicating that a fast-moving wildfire has now forced the evacuation orders of more than 70,000 people and two firefighters have been seriously injured in Southern California as powerful winds have swept across the state prompting power to be cut to hundreds of thousands of residents to prevent utility equipment from sparking new blazes.
According to the Associated Press, The fire has exploded in size to over 6 square miles in just a few hours of breaking out around dawn in Orange County, south of Los Angeles. Strong wind gusts have pushed flames along brushy ridges in Silverado Canyon and near houses in the sprawling city of Irvine, which is home to nearly 280,000 residents.
Water-dropping helicopters that were dispatched were also briefly grounded as a result of the strong winds making it unsafe to fly. Officials are saying they don’t fully know the cause of the fire, one of several that broke out across the region,
including another one in Orange County that prompted evacuation orders near the city of Yorba Linda. Nearly one million people — were in the dark in the northern part of the state as officials issued warnings for what could be the strongest winds in California this year.
