An 'extreme' wildfire sweeping through the hills of California has left dozens of people homeless and reduced one of state's most historic towns to ashes. The 38,000-acre Borel fire is thought to have started at 1pm on Wednesday when a car careened over the side of a canyon on Highway 178 in Kern County, killing the driver and bursting into flames. 'We've been under red flag warning conditions, and the fire continues to burn in a very, very intense and erratic way,' said Captain Andrew Freeborn of the Kern County Fire Department. Just a few buildings remain standing in the historic mining town, including the Havilah School House which was built in 1867. The town was home to 3,000 people at its peak and served as the seat of government for Kern County between 1866 and 1872.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 29, 2024 14:22 UTC