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| California wildfire sweeps across freeway, destroying vehicles | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A fast-moving wildfire that swept across a freeway in a California mountain pass torched at least a half-dozen cars and a tractor trailer as motorists abandoned their vehicles and ran to safety. | A fast-moving wildfire that swept across a freeway in a California mountain pass torched at least a half-dozen cars and a tractor trailer as motorists abandoned their vehicles and ran to safety. |
| The fire swept by desert winds burned on both sides of Interstate 15, the main connector between southern California and Las Vegas that was crowded with vehicles. | The fire swept by desert winds burned on both sides of Interstate 15, the main connector between southern California and Las Vegas that was crowded with vehicles. |
| Dozens of vehicles were abandoned and hundreds of others turned on to side roads to get away from the flames as water-dropping helicopters flew overhead. | Dozens of vehicles were abandoned and hundreds of others turned on to side roads to get away from the flames as water-dropping helicopters flew overhead. |
| Motorists stuck on the road described a harrowing scene. | Motorists stuck on the road described a harrowing scene. |
| “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. | “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. |
| US forest service spokesman Uriah Hernandez said some areas were evacuated in the Cajon Pass area along the freeway, about 55 miles (88km) north-east of Los Angeles. | US forest service spokesman Uriah Hernandez said some areas were evacuated in the Cajon Pass area along the freeway, about 55 miles (88km) north-east of Los Angeles. |
| This fire led authorities to shut several freeway lanes, causing traffic to back up for miles. | This fire led authorities to shut several freeway lanes, causing traffic to back up for miles. |
| California highway patrol spokesman Steve Carapia said scores of vehicles were left abandoned on the freeway. | California highway patrol spokesman Steve Carapia said scores of vehicles were left abandoned on the freeway. |
| Raquel Martinez, 34, was traveling to Las Vegas with her husband for the weekend when they got stuck in northbound traffic on the I-15 for about an hour. | Raquel Martinez, 34, was traveling to Las Vegas with her husband for the weekend when they got stuck in northbound traffic on the I-15 for about an hour. |
| The sky darkened to black. As they drove by cars were covered in “pink powder” in the form of fire retardant. Cars meanwhile were being redirected up narrow twisty emergency lanes from the southbound side headed north. | The sky darkened to black. As they drove by cars were covered in “pink powder” in the form of fire retardant. Cars meanwhile were being redirected up narrow twisty emergency lanes from the southbound side headed north. |
| “I haven’t seen a fire that big and so close to us. It really was huge,” Martinez said. | “I haven’t seen a fire that big and so close to us. It really was huge,” Martinez said. |