Widespread rain and winds hit Southern California, with mountain snow on the way
A new report shows the storm system could potentially dump more than one foot of snow on the Los Angeles area in the next few days. The National Weather Service is forecasting widespread rain and winds.
The Los Angeles Fire Department says there are reports of looting in parts of the San Pedro and San Gabriel River valleys, where many homes have been destroyed in wildfires and the weather is causing flooding.
A Los Angeles Times report says about 6,500 customers of Pacific Gas and ElectricCo. were without power, with the utility saying it would assess the damage and restore power to many early.
A wildfire burning in the mountains above San Diego is expected to be contained tonight, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says.
The wildfire began Sunday, but was not expected to get out of control for another day or two, said Chief Ken Pimlott.
About 20,000 people had evacuated the area, he said.
Firefighters had made progress on the fire by Monday, with the blaze near San Pascio and on the northeast side of the U.S. Route 101 highway, which is closed in both directions to all traffic as a precaution.
The blaze was sparked in a forested area near the edge of the San Gorgonio Pass.
On Saturday, firefighters from the United States Forest Service and United States National Forest Service joined firefighters from the San Diego County Fire Protection District in fighting the blaze, which was sparked by lightning.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says more than 20 homes have been destroyed and 200 homes and another 100 businesses damaged.
The fire was burning in the San Gorgonio Pass, where the Santa Ana River empties into San Diego Bay.
A major earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 has struck southern California, the US Geological Service said.
It was initially reported at 4.46 in the southwest state and initially thought to be only a shallow understructure quake. The USGS later revised its magnitude to 5.9
