Southern California wildfire threatens hundreds of homes

A 300-acre wildfire raced through this Mojave Desert community Wednesday afternoon, burning at least seven homes and threatening as many as 700 more, authorities said. The fire erupted at about 1 p.m. and was burning into a "very inhabited area" about 100 miles east of downtown Los Angeles which consists of about 2,000 scattered ranches and homes on large lots, said Dave Dowling, a spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department. About 200 homes were immediately threatened and as many as 700 more were in the fire's path as it moved east and south through heavy grass on both sides of Highway 62 toward the Joshua Tree National Park, county fire Battalion Chief Paul Summers said. A voluntary evacuation was called, according to Summers. The only reported injury was a firefighter with a hurt knee, he said....

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