Wildfire Burns Out Of Control In Santa Cruz Mountains
POSTED: 6:23 am PDT May 22, 2008
UPDATED: 8:19 am PDT May 22, 2008
http://www.nbc11.com/news/16361285/detail.html
At least 500 acres have burned near Mount Madonna County Park about 10 miles west of Gilroy.
The fire started at about 5:30 a.m. Thursday off Summit Road near Loma Prieta Road in the Felton area of the Santa Cruz mountains.
The fire is burning about seven miles east of Highway 17.
CalFire crews are at the scene and are dispatching air support to the area, NBC11 reported. As of 7:20 a.m. air tankers had not arrived.
Several homes and ranches are scattered throughout the mountainous area. Chopper11 showed at least one structure destroyed by the flames.
Chopper11 shows flames burning out of control and smoke spreading for several miles.
Winds of at least 15 to 20 miles an hour are making the fire harder to fight.
Humidity in the area is 50 percent and dropping.
There are reports that the fire started at a home on Ornsby Cutoff Trail. The home is a five acre property that was for sale for $1,000,050.