Growing Wildfires Prompt More Evacuations in Southern California

Injuries reported as the fire picks up speed

A second out-of-control wildfire is growing at great speed in the Southern California mountains.

The so-called Silver Fire has burned homes, forced the evacuation of several mountain communities and left three people including two firefighters injured.

"The civilian—very, very tragically—was very badly burned," Cal Fire Riverside Chief John R Hawkins told KNBC-TV.

The victim suffered burns "from head to toe", he added.

The fire broke out at about 2pm on Wednesday near Banning and surged to at least 6,000 acres, or more than nine square miles, within a few hours.