Firefighters make progress on raging California freeway wildfire

Authorities say firefighters are making progress on a fast-moving wildfire that swept across a Southern California freeway, destroying 20 vehicles and sending motorists running to safety before burning at least five homes.

The fire started Friday afternoon in the Cajon Pass along Interstate 15 — the main highway between Southern California and Las Vegas — and quickly spread to 3,500 acres.

A San Bernardino County Fire official says hundreds of firefighters, aided by water-dropping aircraft, have contained 35 per cent of the blaze.

Strong winds spread the fire to the rural community of Baldy Mesa, where it burned at least five homes and threatened about 50 more.

California is in the midst of severe drought, and wildfires are common. Some break out near freeways, but it's very unusual to have vehicles caught in the flames.

No injuries had been confirmed, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Uriah Hernandez said.

'Everyone started running'

As flames closed in, drivers and passengers ran from their vehicles.

"It was total smoke and all the cars just started to stack and the fire got closer to us, and everyone started running up the hill," said Russell Allevato, 45, of Southgate, Michigan. "Hundreds and hundreds of people running up the hill."

He was traveling from Las Vegas to Los Angeles with his two teenage daughters, his nephew and his nephew's girlfriend. Their rental car was among those destroyed.

"All our stuff was charred and gone," Allevato said by phone as he rode in the back of a California Highway Patrol vehicle.

Television helicopters carried the scene live as the flames leapt from vehicle to vehicle while water-dropping helicopters and then firefighters on the freeway battled to get control. A car-carrying tractor-trailer and a boat were among the losses left smoldering on the highway.

Dozens of vehicles were abandoned, and hundreds of others turned onto side roads in the rugged area about 90 kilometres northeast of Los Angeles.

"It's crazy, you're watching black clouds and white clouds of smoke, there's a ridgeline off to my right ... and it looks like any second flames will come over the ridgeline," Chris Patterson, 43, said from his vehicle.

Melissa Atalla said she could see the flames from her gas station.

"People are spectating from our parking lot, running around getting water and beer. It's chaos," Atalla said. "One man came in and said, 'Oh my. My house is getting burned.' "

An evacuation centre was set up at the local high school as firefighting equipment flooded the area. There were 22 engines, six air tankers, three helicopters, a bulldozer and hundreds of firefighters.

Severe drought in region

California is in the midst of severe drought, and wildfires are common. Some break out near freeways, but it's very unusual to have vehicles caught in the flames.

The 15 freeway was typically busy about 2:30 p.m. Friday when the fire broke out near the northbound lanes. With temperatures above 30 C and winds kicking up, it quickly ran up a hill and across the southbound lanes.

Vehicles that had slowed came to a stop as the flames approached. Occupants fled.

"There were elderly trying to get up the hill. People had animals, dogs. They tried to get their dogs out of the car," Allevato said.

His 15-year-old daughter, Leah, cried about her lost vacation.

"We waited two years for this vacation, and I saved all my money," she said. "I was thinking about it every day, and I finally got here and I have no clothes ... I waited so long, and it's ruined."