October 21, 1996
Web posted at: 4:15 p.m. EDT
TUSTIN, Calif. (CNN) - At least 12 homes were destroyed by a wind-driven fire south of Los Angeles, and several more were in danger Monday. There were no reports of injuries.(12 sec. / 416K QuickTime movie)
Hundreds of firefighters were battling the flames in an exclusive area of Orange County. Officials said the brush fire was ignited Monday morning, but there was no word on the cause.
The flames are being fanned by Santa Ana winds up to 40 miles per hour. Wind gusts thwarted the efforts of water-dropping helicopters, turning the water into a fine spray that had little effect on the flames.
Frantic homeowners were seen bailing water from swimming pools and dousing rooftops with garden hoses, as the flames skipped through a neighborhood near Tustin.
Hundreds of miles to the north, firefighters battling another big fire along scenic State Highway 1 were getting an upper hand on the flames. The Big Sur fire was 85 percent contained Monday, and officials estimated full containment by Monday night. The cause of the 668-acre blaze, which began Friday about 30 miles south of Monterey, is under investigation.
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