HESPERIA, Calif. — Authorities are ordering the residents of 1,500 homes to evacuate as a wildfire that erupted on the main interstate between Southern California and Las Vegas spreads.
A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman says flames are near some large ranch homes in the Oak Hills area west of Interstate 15.
The fire began around 1 p.m. Friday and quickly covered 500 acres in two hours.
It temporarily closed the heavily traveled freeway in the Cajon Pass area of the high desert northeast of Los Angeles, causing holiday weekend traffic to back up for miles. Northbound lanes later reopened with escort by the California Highway Patrol as the fire burned away from traffic lanes.
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