Fires blossomed Friday as a high-pressure system brought excessively hot watches and brought warnings to 34 million people in what was expected to be a week-long heat wave in the West.
In California, the Lake Fire, which began Wednesday afternoon on federal land about 63 miles north of Los Angeles, revived, consuming a total of 17,482 acres and destroying five structures, according to the National Forest Service.
By Friday night, it was 12 percent contained. No injuries were reported, but several communities were under evacuation orders and several roads were closed.
The Ventura County Fire Department said on Twitter that crews were clearing a road so firefighters could get to the Lake Fire when a bull started hunting them. No injuries were reported.
De National Water Service recorded an afternoon temperature in the area of 103.
The new fire, the Ranch 2 Fire, broke out Friday at 2:50 a.m. Friday in the Angeles National Forest above the city of Azusa, which is located about 25 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, the Forest Service said .
It had consumed 1,500 acres, without containment, the service said. Evacuations for one community, Mountain Cove, were suspended by early Friday night.
Firefighters fighting that blew worked during the day in temperatures up to 108 degrees, the service said. There were no reports of injuries or damaged structures.
The California Department of State Forest Management and Fire Protection reported more than a dozen active fire incidents in the state Friday, although some were elderly who were not fully contained.
In Colorado, the Grizzly Creek Fire, which began Monday afternoon on federal land about 226 miles west of Denver, spread in the heat and was 13,441 acres Friday, according to the National Forest Service.
No containment figure was released
“The combination of dry vegetation, steep terrain and the red flag conditions of hot, dry weather and gusty winds have continued to drive fire growth,” the service said in a statement.
There were no reports of structures being damaged or injured. Residents were told to “stay conscious” in case they had to leave without much notice, according to the Forest Service.
Temperatures were Friday in the upper 1980s, the Forest Service said. The Grizzly Creek Fire was one of several blasts in the state.
Incident commander Marty Adel told reporters, “This fire will continue to burn for a while.”
Todd Miyazawa contributed.
