Hundreds Evacuated as Loma Fire Tears Through California Mountains
Drought and heat have helped fuel the blaze that started Monday.
— -- Heat and dry conditions are stoking a fast-moving wildfire in California that has burned more than 2,000 acres in just over a day, at times sending flames shooting 100 feet up into the air.
Evacuations remained underway for hundreds of residents near California's Santa Cruz Mountains today as firefighters continued to battle the blaze.
The fire, which started Monday around 3 p.m., had scorched more than 2,250 acres and was 10 percent contained, according to the Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit.
At least one home has been destroyed and another damaged, in addition to at least six smaller structures.
"We grabbed a few days' worth of clothes and that's all we've got," resident Mike Cecere said.
Record-breaking, triple-digit heat in addition to California's drought helped fuel the blaze, driving it from just a spark to more than 3.5 square miles of scorched land in barely more than 24 hours. More than 500 firefighters were working around the clock to contain it.
"After dark, as we're fighting fire in unfamiliar terrain -- with obviously dangers of the fire itself and the movement of the fire -- it definitely presents a considerable amount of danger to us, you know, besides just that firefighting aspect," Capt. Christopher Salcido told ABC News affiliate ABC7 News in San Francisco.
Cal Fire said that 300 structures were threatened, and announced mandatory evacuations for several nearby communities. The National Weather Service radar station was forced to shutter after flames started lapping near the building.
One firefighter was reportedly injured and Cal Fire said that one home had been destroyed in addition to a structure.
"I'm a little nervous," Mary Lindsay told SFGate.com. "I can see all the smoke billowing up from the fire."
The fire's cause remained under investigation.