It was extremely hellish, I would say, says 20-year-old Alex Luna to the American AP.
Ash fell from the sky as if it were snowing.
Luna is one of thousands who have been forced to evacuate as the fire has spread in dry terrain at temperatures of nearly 40 degrees. Another is Janice Quick, who was having lunch outdoors when embers the size of her thumbnail began raining down on the table.
I've never seen anything like it and I've been through fires before, says Quick, who has lived in Wrightwood for 45 years.
In nearby Orange County, helicopters, planes, and bulldozers have been deployed to try to contain a fire that is spreading rapidly.
On Wednesday, the long-standing heatwave finally subsided somewhat, giving firefighters hope of making progress in the battle against the flames.
This year's fires in California have already destroyed an area three times larger than during the entire forest fire season last year. At least three firefighters have been injured.
It's not just California that's been affected. Large forest fires are raging in several other states in western USA, including Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada.
