The Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, California has triggered mandatory evacuations as a thick, heavy smoke hung over the region.
Officials say the blaze grew from 20 acres to more than 200 acres in about 20 minutes after it was reported about 10:30 local time.
The growth has been fuelled by a fierce wind event that has placed a large portion of the state under a red flag warning.
This article was originally published at www.bbc.com
