Cars on fire as California

Cars on fire as California brush fires spread

                                                                                                                                                

A fast-moving brush fire in the Los Angeles area has shut down a major freeway and set cars on fire.

The flames, swept by desert winds, burned on both sides of Interstate 15, the main connecting road between southern California and Las Vegas.

Dozens of vehicles were abandoned as drivers ran to safety.

Motorists abandon vehicles and run to safety as fire swept by desert winds burned on both sides of main route between southern California and Las Vegas 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 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.

Dozens of vehicles were abandoned and hundreds of others turned onto side roads to get away from the flames as water-dropping helicopters flew over the Cajon Pass area about 55 miles (88 kilometres) northeast of Los Angeles.

Traffic was backed up on the freeway as a plane dumped fire retardant on the fire that swept up a hillside.

Pushed by 40-mph winds, it raced up a hill and onto the traffic-clogged freeway, trapping literally hundreds of people amid a cauldron of smoke, flames and ash.

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.

Drivers and their passengers had no choice but to abandon their cars as the flames hopscotched down the freeway, destroying 20 vehicles, several of which exploded in fireballs.

California Highway Patrol spokesman Steve Carapia said 50 to 75 vehicles were left abandoned on the freeway.