Thousands forced to evacuate homes in Los Angeles as wind fuels wildfire

As of late Monday night, it had spread over about two square miles of land, fire spokesman Jeff LaRusso said.

Francis Lopez douses flames with a bucket of water as a wildfire called the Highland Fire burns through his property in Aguanga, California (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

A wildfire fuelled by gusty Santa Ana winds ripped through rural land south east of Los Angeles on Monday, forcing about 4,000 people from their homes, fire authorities said.

The so-called Highland Fire erupted at about 12.45pm in dry, brushy hills near the unincorporated Riverside County hamlet of Aguanga.