Rapidly Moving Brush Fire in California Burns Homes and Prompts Evacuations

A rapidly burning brush fire in a Southern California community swept across more than 10,000 acres in a matter of hours on Wednesday, burning homes and prompting residents to flee as firefighters battled fierce winds that could further fuel the blazes.

In Ventura County, the so-called Mountain fire, which started on Wednesday, had injured several people who were taken to hospitals, the Ventura County Fire Department said. Their conditions were not immediately clear.

The fast-moving blaze caught many residents off guard.

Gail Liacko, who lives in Camarillo, had risen early on Wednesday and went outside in her pajamas to tend to her roses. Their petals had been shredded by the intense wind throughout the night, but Ms. Liacko said she thought nothing of it. She then sat down to a breakfast of homemade hash browns and eggs, prepared by her husband, Michael.

“We were relaxing and I went outside again, and I started smelling smoke and noticed soot on our back patio cushions,” said Ms. Liacko, a real estate agent. “That made me nervous, because that means embers.”

Within the hour, the couple found themselves rushing throughout the ranch-style home that they purchased nine years ago, frantically grabbing photos and important documents. They made it safely to a friend’s house, but there was no power, so they were unable to watch the news.