VENTURA, Calif. -- Wildfires in Southern California are being powered Tuesday night by very strong Santa Ana winds gusting as high as 80 miles per hour. The fires -- in Los Angeles and Ventura counties -- have already burned more than 47,000 acres. More than 27,000 people have been evacuated, and more than 3,500 firefighters are on the job. They're some of the harshest conditions firefighters have faced in years. Extremely dry, powerful winds roared through Ventura County Monday night. Within hours, a 50-acre fire exploded, and the winds haven't let up. "We're just hoping to keep this from extending into this whole neighborhood," firefighter Jeff Maurer said. Also hampering the fight: little or no water pressure on several hillside streets. "So you just can't get water out of the hydrant?" CBS News asked Maurer. "Yeah, there's only a limited amount. You can only get so much," he said. Once the water from fire trucks ran out, all that remained on several streets were garden hoses. … [Read more...] about Wildfires threaten thousands of homes in Southern California
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“We are not letting our guard down”: Southern California under siege from wildfires
SHADOW HILLS, Calif. -- The Shadow Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles is the scene of one of six major wildfires burning out of control tonight in Southern California, CBS Evening News anchor Jeff Glor reports. The first death has been reported. The burned body of a woman was found next to her flipped-over car in Ventura County. The fires, driven by powerful Santa Ana winds, have now burned more than 116,000 acres -- and there appears to be no end in sight. More than 100 homes have been destroyed or damaged, and at least 330,000 people have been evacuated. Largest California fire eyes communities northwest of Los Angeles - live updates Southern California remains under siege. Throughout the night, firefighters in Ventura County battled enormous walls of flames. You can get a sense of the intensity of the winds up in the air, Glor reported from a helicopter. When the gusts move through, they can pick up embers from one fire and start a new one. Those embers can be carried for … [Read more...] about “We are not letting our guard down”: Southern California under siege from wildfires
Southern California wildfires still smoldering after hellish week
BONSALL, California -- In southern California, blowtorch winds have died down, but deadly fires are still spreading. President Trump has declared a state of emergency, clearing the way for additional federal aid. The six major fires have burned more than 140,000 acres -- an area larger than Chicago. "We are not letting our guard down": Southern California under siege from wildfires More than 500 structures have been destroyed. When the winds kicked up, the flames roared, and many homes in this north San Diego community never had a chance. One thousand firefighters were called to battle the flames, but they were no match for the 50 mile-per-hour gusts that fueled this massive fire. When firefighters came across one home, it was already burning. They put everything had on it, but it was not enough. Then they just tried to keep the flames from spreading, and it was still smoldering more than 12 hours later. There was nothing they could do to save it. The … [Read more...] about Southern California wildfires still smoldering after hellish week
CBS News Logo Man kills ex-wife in attempted murder-suicide at southern California mall, authorities say
Last Updated Mar 18, 2018 3:15 AM EDT THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- - A man argued with his former wife at a Southern California mall before shooting her to death and turning the gun on himself, authorities said, leading shoppers to run into stores and out the exits Saturday. The 33-year-old Los Angeles-area gunman was wounded and taken to a hospital, officials said. The man was listed in critical condition Saturday evening, CBS Los Angeles reports.The man went to a store at The Oaks mall in the city of Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, and had an argument with the 30-year-old victim before shooting her, Ventura County sheriff's Sgt. Eric Buschow said. The divorced couple have children, who have been found safe, said Buschow, adding that initial indications show the shooting was a murder and attempted suicide. The gunshots at the shopping center with open-air and indoor shopping space led to some chaos and a lockdown. Mall employee Stephanie Fallon told CBS … [Read more...] about CBS News Logo Man kills ex-wife in attempted murder-suicide at southern California mall, authorities say
Southern California town wants to exempt itself from sanctuary city law
close Video Trump: Sanctuary cities are the best friends of gangs Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton discusses the DOJ crackdown on sanctuary cities. One Southern California town is taking a stand against a state law that limits the cooperation between local police and federal immigration agents and encourages sanctuary cities to exist. The City of Los Alamitos will vote on an ordinance that would exempt it from the sanctuary city law that council members say conflicts with federal law. Members say that the state law “may be in direct conflict with federal laws and the Constitution,” not to mention going against the oath they took in taking office, The Orange County register reports. The council “finds that it is impossible to honor our oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” according to the ordinance. The proposed legislation comes after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Justice Department was … [Read more...] about Southern California town wants to exempt itself from sanctuary city law