California Rural Communities Evacuated in Wake of Heat-driven Wildfire

More evacuations were ordered Tuesday as a growing wildfire threatened remote communities in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains.

The blaze in a rugged area 30 miles south of San Jose destroyed one home and charred more than 1.5 square miles of dry brush and timber, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Hundreds of homes were evacuated after the fire broke out Monday amid a heat wave and winds, and more residents were ordered to leave as the flames spread overnight. Officials didn’t say how many homes are affected.

The fire was 5 percent contained as of Tuesday morning.

The blaze sparked on the southern edge of Santa Clara County also threatened television and radio towers.

A statewide heat wave was expected to begin easing Tuesday.

Temperatures reached into triple digits in downtown Los Angeles, while most other areas were in the 90s.