Firefighters battled wildfires across Southern California on Friday, October 16, as powerful Santa Ana winds fanned the flames, prompting evacuations and leaving tens of thousands of people without electricity.
Aerial footage from Orange County showed homes engulfed in flames as emergency crews worked to contain the fires and sprayed water on burning structures.
The threat remained high, with Red Flag Warnings in effect across parts of Southern California through Saturday evening, October 17.
The National Weather Service forecast winds of 25 to 45 miles per hour in portions of the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, raising concerns that the blazes could spread further and complicate firefighting efforts.
