California wildfire grows to 2,000 acres

San Francisco, July 7 (IANS) A wildfire has grown to 2,000 acres in the hills east of Gilroy, Northern California, officials said.The blaze, known as the Crews Fire, sparked about 3 miles east of Highway 101 near Crews Road and Oak Springs Circle, reports Xinhua news agency. It was contained by 20 per cent as of 8 a.m. on Monday morning. Two homes have been destroyed and one person injured, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire)."It's fire season, anything can happen." Pam Temmermand, a fire prevention specialist for Cal Fire told the media. "With this kind of weather that we're seeing, fires are going to happen."Another brush fire that started on July 4 in Santa Clara County, known as the Park Fire, was 80 per cent contained by Monday, officials said. Meanwhile, a wildfire spreading rapidly through the rural area of Santa Clarita, a US city 53 km northeast of Los Angeles, has prompted evacuations and the full closure of a freeway.The fire, dubbed Soledad Fire, was initially reported at around 4 p.m. on Sunday.
--IANS ksk/