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Silverado Fire: SoCal wildfire has prompted 90K evacuations, hurt 2 firefighters

Electrical wire may be to blame
Silverado Fire: SoCal wildfire has prompted 90K evacuations, hurt 2 firefighters
Posted at 8:18 AM, Oct 27, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-27 20:24:23-04

A fast-growing wildfire in Southern California that has "gravely" injured two firefighters may have been caused by a faulty power line.

CNN and City News Service of Southern California say that Southern California Edison has filed a report with the California Public Utilities Commission that shows that the company believes a power line may have played a role in the start of the Silverado Fire.

The Silverado Fire started Monday morning in Orange County just before 7 a.m. local time. By Monday night, the fire had grown to 7,200 acres, forcing the evacuation of more than 90,000 local residents. The flames were fueled by sustained winds of between 20 and 40 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph.

City News Service reports that two firefighters —aged 26 and 31 years old — suffered injuries while battling the blaze. Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy told the City News Service that the firefighters are both "gravely" injured, both sustaining second- and third-degree burns.

EVACUATION CENTERS

So far, no structures have been lost to the fire.

Firefighters will get no help from weather conditions on Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to reach into the high 70s, and a high wind warning is in effect for the area until 2 p.m. local time.