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| California fire: Drivers leave cars as blaze sweeps I-15 highway | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Drivers in southern California had to flee their cars as the vehicles ignited when a brush fire swept over a busy road. | |
| The fire, in the Cajon pass, left at least 20 vehicles on Interstate-15 in flames. It broke out at the start of the weekend during peak travel time. | |
| "You could hear the explosions from people's vehicle tires popping from the heat," one driver, Lance Andrade, said. | |
| There have been no confirmed reports of injuries. | There have been no confirmed reports of injuries. |
| Footage from news helicopters shows dramatic pictures of people walking away from the flames, covering their faces and trying not to breathe in the noxious smoke and fumes. | Footage from news helicopters shows dramatic pictures of people walking away from the flames, covering their faces and trying not to breathe in the noxious smoke and fumes. |
| Several lanes of the road were closed, causing traffic to back up for kilometres. | |
| "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,'' said 43-year-old Chris Patterson, quoted by AP news agency. | "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,'' said 43-year-old Chris Patterson, quoted by AP news agency. |
| Several dozen vehicles have been abandoned - and some are completely engulfed in flames. | Several dozen vehicles have been abandoned - and some are completely engulfed in flames. |
| Firefighters asked evacuating motorists to leave their keys in the cars - in the hope that they could clear the cars once the fire is under control. | Firefighters asked evacuating motorists to leave their keys in the cars - in the hope that they could clear the cars once the fire is under control. |
| Aircraft are dropping flame retardant chemicals on the fire. | Aircraft are dropping flame retardant chemicals on the fire. |
| The I-15 is the main road linking Los Angeles and Nevada, and is particularly busy at the weekends as southern Californians head to Las Vegas. | The I-15 is the main road linking Los Angeles and Nevada, and is particularly busy at the weekends as southern Californians head to Las Vegas. |
| Wildfires are common in California, but have been exacerbated by the four-year drought gripping the state. | Wildfires are common in California, but have been exacerbated by the four-year drought gripping the state. |