LOS ANGELES, Sept 13 — Forest fires burning near San Diego forced dozens of people to evacuate yesterday ahead of a weekend expected to see record temperatures for the season.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said it ordered the mandatory evacuations of about 30 households near the Cleveland National Forest as parts of Silverado Canyon lost power due to the fire.

The local fire department said about 526 hectares had burned, adding it had no estimate for how much of the blaze had been contained.

Weather forecasters have warned of a heatwave due to last until Tuesday in the Golden State that could further expand the blaze or trigger more fires, while also complicating the work of firefighters.

The National Weather Service said temperatures could break records for this time of year, climbing up to 38º Celsius in Los Angeles and up to 42.2º Celsius in desert areas. — AFP