Forest Service: Calif. wildfire destroys 21 homes northeast of Los Angeles, threatens 12,000

Calif. wildfire burns 21 homes northeast of LA

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Forest Service says a massive wildfire northeast of Los Angeles has now burned 21 homes.

Agency spokesman Nathan Judy says three homes have burned near Acton, about 30 miles from Los Angeles, along with 18 homes destroyed farther west.

A 134-square-mile wildfire in the Angeles National Forest is threatening 12,000 foothill homes and the historic Mount Wilson observatory.

It’s the largest but not the most destructive of at least eight fires burning throughout California. Northeast of Sacramento, a fire destroyed 60 structures, many of them homes in the town of Auburn. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to tour the area Monday morning.

In San Bernardino County, a 1.4-square-mile fire has forced the evacuation of Oak Glen and threatens 2,000 homes.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency for four California counties as wildfires burn throughout the state.

Schwarzenegger said Monday in Los Angeles that residents should heed evacuation orders near several large fires in Placer, Monterey, Los Angeles and Mariposa counties.

He says eight fires are burning in California, the largest one in the foothills north of Los Angeles. That blaze has scorched 134 square miles and destroyed at least 18 homes, threatening 12,000 more.

Associated Press writers Juliet Williams in Auburn and Solvej Schou in Los Angeles contributed to this report.