The Latest: Fire weather conditions ease in California

By Associated Press 02 November 2019, 12:00AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on California fires (all times local):

9:21 a.m.

California weather conditions that led to power shutoffs to prevent wildfires and fanned fires that broke out around the state have eased significantly.

Southern California Edison says only 1,100 customers remained without power early Friday, down from 80,000 the previous evening.

San Diego Gas & Electric says power was restored Thursday to more than 25,000 customers and its community resource centers have been demobilized.

Pacific Gas & Electric has finished restoring power to dozens of counties in the north and central regions.

Cal Fire says containment of the state's largest fire has increased to 67 percent.

Latest assessments show the 121-square-mile (313-square-kilometer) fire in Sonoma County has burned 167 homes and 175 other structures. Another 33 homes are damaged.

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7:20 a.m.

A wildfire northwest of Los Angeles has grown but authorities say heavy winds that fan fires have subsided and cold temperatures are reducing the fire's movement

The Ventura County Fire Department says Friday that the blaze that started on a hilltop Thursday evening near the city of Santa Paula spanned more than 12 square miles (31 square kilometers), up from 11 square miles (28 square kilometers) earlier.

Evacuation orders were issued to about 7,500 people in an area that includes about 1,800 buildings.

Dozens of schools were closed Friday because of the fire.

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12:20 a.m.

A brush fire north of Los Angeles has quickly grown to more than 11 square miles (28 sq. kilometers) even as calmer weather allowed crews to increase containment on multiple wildfires elsewhere in the state.

Ventura County emergency officials provided an update around 11:30 p.m. Thursday that said the fast-moving fire had spread to approximately 7,400 acres, with 0% containment. The fire erupted Thursday evening itself, quickly spreading from a hilltop near Santa Paula. Authorities have ordered evacuations for around 7,500 people in an area that includes roughly 1,800 buildings.

Dozens of locals schools across several districts have announced Friday closures in light of what's being dubbed the Maria fire.

Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub says aerial firefighting efforts were hampered by someone flying a small drone "apparently looking at photography" Thursday evening.

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10:25 p.m.

Calmer weather allowed crews to increase containment on multiple wildfires after gusts fanned blazes across California and led utilities to cut power to prevent winds from damaging equipment and igniting an inferno.

The winds largely subsided as Red Flag warnings for fire danger remained in place through Friday evening for some inland areas to the north and west of Los Angeles.

A wildfire erupted Thursday evening and quickly spread north of Los Angeles. Authorities ordered evacuations for about 7,500 people in an area that includes roughly 1,800 buildings as the blaze threatened the community of Somis.

Nearly 200,000 Sonoma County residents were allowed to return home amid a 120-square-mile (311-square-kilometer) fire that forced them to evacuate. At least 140 homes were destroyed.

About 80,000 people in the south remained without power after intentional blackouts.

By Associated Press 02 November 2019, 12:00AM

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