Dozens more evacuated as wildfire tears through communities in California desert

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. -- Firefighters evacuated dozens more people from their homes early Wednesday as a wildfire raced across the desert and destroyed several homes in an area where dozens of Hollywood Westerns were filmed.\nWind exceeding 40 mph fanned the flames, and officials said they didn't expect the weather to change anytime soon. The fire had covered more than 17,000 acres.\nDozens were evacuated from communities in Little Morongo Canyon and Burns Canyon. Up to 1,000 fled the flames Tuesday, authorities said.\nFirefighters had no estimate of when they might have the blaze under control.\n"If we have more of the same with the high winds and high temperatures it could be trouble," said California Department of Forestry Capt. Marc DeRosier.\nThe blaze burned through historic Pioneertown, destroying at least 30 homes and buildings there and in surrounding towns. It was unclear whether any historic structures were destroyed, said DeRosier.\nEvacuees included Linda Krantz, an employee at Pappy & Harriet's restaurant in Pioneertown, who just had time to grab computers and books before leaving.\n"I can see the flames from here. The sky is so black. It's not good at all," said Krantz, who cried as she spoke by telephone.\nPioneertown, about two hours east of Los Angeles, was host to Roy Rogers, Russ "Lucky" Hayden and other Hollywood cowboys who helped establish the desert hideaway in 1946. Movie crews nailed together a saloon, hauled up a railroad car and sank posts around the "OK Corral."\nGene Autry filmed "Last of the Pony Riders" and "Indian Territory" in Pioneertown. Hayden, who played the sidekick in the "Hopalong Cassidy" movies, used it for his "Judge Roy Bean" TV series, and "Cisco Kid" producers shot several movies and the TV series there.\nBy the 1960s, the town had become more of a residential community, although filmmakers began returning a few years ago. Car companies have filmed commercials in Pioneertown in recent years. Music videos have also been made there.\nFire investigators believe a lightning strike over the weekend sparked the fire, which slowly heated up before it "reared its ugly head" Tuesday afternoon, Lannen said. Earlier, they thought the fire was part of several lighting-sparked blazes that began Sunday that had been temporarily contained.\nCDF Capt. Debbie Chapman said about 200 homes were threatened. About 2,500 firefighters aided by 13 helicopters and eight air tankers were working the blaze. Seven firefighters and two civilians suffered minor injuries, including burns and smoke inhalation.\nElsewhere in the West, Montana firefighters were trying to control a blaze about 40 miles west of Billings that had destroyed at least four structures, including two homes, officials said.\nAuthorities urged residents in about 120 homes to leave because of the 3,000-acre fire. Five structures were destroyed, officials said. No injuries were reported.\nIn Nevada, officials said they had gained the upper hand on two lightning-sparked wildfires burning toward the small town of Beatty, near Death Valley National Park.\nThe blazes were fully contained by Tuesday night. No injuries were reported and no structures had been threatened.\nIn western Stanislaus County, Calif., a fire that burned about 5 square miles of rugged terrain was about 40 percent contained Tuesday.\nNo evacuations were ordered as about 1,000 firefighters fought the blaze, which started Sunday about 85 miles southeast of San Francisco. The fire destroyed three structures believed to be hunting cabins.sh: Dozens more evacuated as wildfire rages in California desert