California Wildfires Prompt Mass Evacuations and State of Emergency Declaration

A state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles and neighboring counties due to a series of out-of-control wildfires, including the Bridge Fire. The blaze has surrounded homes near an airport in Orange County and is being battled by over 5,700 firefighters on the ground and from the air. Widespread evacuation orders have been issued for the towns of Wrightwood and Mt Baldy, with residents reporting that the fire was advancing rapidly and making it impossible to retrieve belongings.