Wildfire forces 1,500 home evacuations in California

A wildfire that forced 1,500 homes in Southern California to be evacuated spread to nearly two square miles and destroyed two mobile homes today.

A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman said the firefighters had contained 20% of the blaze that erupted on the main interstate between California and Las Vegas.

It started on the central reservation of Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass and quickly consumed desert brush.

State fire spokesman Glenn Barley said two firefighters were injured and two additional structures were damaged.

Evacuations for homes in the Oak Hills area remained in effect.

The fire initially closed the freeway and snarled holiday weekend traffic, but Mr Barley said nearly all northbound and southland lanes had reopened.