Wildfires destroy homes, threaten power lines

? Dozens of buildings were in ruins Wednesday as two Southern California wildfires burned across 20,000 acres, and authorities closely watched major power lines near one of the blazes.

Hundreds of residents and campers were forced to flee.

Rugged canyons and ridges, tinder-dry chaparral and windy weather with temperatures above 100 frustrated efforts to control the blazes and both remained out of control Wednesday.

A new count showed a fire in the Angeles National Forest above Azusa destroyed 72 buildings, including 50 vacation cabins and a century-old ranger station, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Ed Gilliland said Wednesday.

The 15,800-acre fire 30 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles had shut down two main power lines and California’s power grid managers were watching a third line closely.

In northern Los Angeles County, a fire near Leona Valley had destroyed five homes, and residents of about 100 others had been evacuated and were not allowed to return Wednesday.

The blaze, 36 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, was in a region of scattered ranches and homes, some on private dirt roads that are too rugged for fire trucks. It was 40 percent contained Wednesday.

A third fire erupted Wednesday northeast of Los Angeles. The 25-acre blaze halted Metrolink passenger train service as flames flared along the tracks, authorities said. Buses were brought in to shuttle passengers.