The first major wildfire of the summer reached California this week, burning up more than 5,500 acres of land near the Mojave Desert and destroying at least six homes in the process. A second fire, about 35 miles away, burned across more than 2,000 acres but did not threaten any structures, authorities said. The first, larger blaze started when a single home burned Wednesday afternoon and the flames quickly spread into nearby desert brush and tall field grass. More than 300 firefighters were tackling the blaze, with more reinforcements being called in. The wildfires are erupting some 70 kilometers east of downtown Los Angeles, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of homes and people. Authorities say the heavy rain fall of last winter has left more grasses and scrub that, when dry, could make for a busy fire season this year.
