60,000 people told to evacuate as wind-driven wildfire grows fast in Southern California

LOS ANGELES, California — A fast-moving wildfire has forced evacuations for 60,000 people in Southern California as powerful winds across the state prompted power to be cut to hundreds of thousands to prevent utility equipment from sparking new blazes.

The smoky fire in Orange County broke out just before 7 a.m. Monday and quickly threatened neighborhoods in Irvine, a sprawling city of about 280,000 people.

California is extremely dry and fire danger is high as the state experiences winds that are gusting above 60 mph (97 kph) in places. Such winds can knock down power lines and send tree branches into wires, sparking fires.

It’s not clear what started the Orange County fire.