FOR WEEKEND RELEASE

ARE NORMALLY LET OUT ON FRIDAY.

A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN

CALIFORNIA AS FLAMES

FIRES JUMP A FREEWAY, BURN

HOMES AND LEAD TO ROAD

CLOSURES AND EVACUATIONS ACROSS

THE STATE.

CHRIS MARTINEZ IS IN SOUTHERN

CALIFORNIA.

Reporter: CREWS HOSED DOWN

HOMES NORTH OF

LOS ANGELES THAT WERE STARTED

BY FLYING EMBERS.

FIREFIGHTERS ARE DOING THEIR

BEST TO PROTECT

NEIGHBORHOODS BUT MANY HOMES

HAVE GONE UP IN FLAMES.

SIX STRUCTURES LOST.

WE KNOW THAT NUMBER WILL RISE.

Reporter: OVERNIGHT THE FIRE

IN AND AROUND

SANTA CLARITA EXPLODED,

FLAMES CHEWING THROUGH DRY

VEGETATION.

WE SAW FLAMES START

MARCHING DOWN THE HILLSIDE.

Reporter: UTILITIES HAVE CUT

POWER TRYING TO

KEEP DOWNED POWER LINES

STARTING MORE FIRES.

FANNING THE FLAMES AND CARRYING

THE EMBERS ARE THE

WIND WAS GUSTS UP TO 40 MILES

AN HOUR.

WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PICK UP

AGAIN THIS WEEKEND AND

SHIFT DIRECTION.

START GETTING OUR NORMAL

WESTERLY WINDS WHICH IS

SOMEWHAT CONCERNING.

WE HAVE OUR BULLDOZERS.

Reporter: IN NORTHERN

CALIFORNIA'S WINE COUNTRY

NEARLY HALF A MILLION PEOPLE

WERE LEFT IN THE DARK

THURSDAY AS CREWS BATTLED A

MASSIVE FIRE THERE.

YOU COULD ACTUALLY HEAR THE

WIND COMING DOWN THE

CANYON AT MY NEIGHBORS FROM

HERE.

IT SOUNDED LIKE A ROCKET.

Reporter: PG&E HAS ADMITTED

IT'S ELECTRICAL

EQUIPMENT MAY HAVE STARTED THE

BLAZE THAT DESTROYED

DOZENS OF HOMES AND OTHER

STRUCTURES.

CHRIS MARTINEZ.

CBS NEWS.

AND THOSE STRONG WINDS ARE

BLOWING RIGHT NOW.