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World :: Mass Evacuation As California Wildfire Rages

Thousands of visitors have been evacuated from Southern California as a burgeoning wildfire continued to ravage one of the region's forests.

The blaze in the Angeles National Forest has spread to around 700 acres, creating a huge cloud of smoke visible from many parts of the Los Angeles basin.

Forest spokeswoman L'Tanga Watson said the fire broke out near a campsite on Sunday afternoon.

It quickly grew to several hundred acres as flames chewed thick brush that was not touched by the destructive Station Fire in 2009.

Ms Watson said the fire was burning near a popular recreational area and also forced the evacuation of the private community of Camp Williams Resort.

Around 200 firefighters, assisted by four water-dropping helicopters and four airtankers, are attempting the fight the blaze.