Brush fire destroys cars and closes freeway

  • 18/07/2015
Brush fire in Los Angeles (Photo: Logan Williams/ Twitter)
Brush fire in Los Angeles (Photo: Logan Williams/ Twitter)

A fast-moving brush fire has destroyed 20 cars and closed down the main freeway from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

The blaze also burnt at least five nearby houses after breaking out near the I-15 freeway northeast of Los Angeles. It damaged another 10 cars.

It's unclear if anyone was hurt in the fire, which apparently leaped across the multiple-lane highway, igniting vehicles.

A few cars and at least one large truck were still ablaze, while drivers milled around on the side of the freeway, where their cars were stuck in a jam.

The San Bernadino County Fire Department said the blaze had spread across 1400 hectares, and was threatening another 50 homes, in addition to the five already burning.

Wildfires are a fact of life in southern California, but have been exacerbated by tinder dry conditions as the western US state is gripped by a fourth year of record drought.

The I-15 is the main freeway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas in neighbouring Nevada, and is extremely busy on weekends as Angelenos head to and from the gambling and party haven.

AFP