Tens of thousands lose power and evacuations spread across Southern California as brush fires rage amid fierce Santa Ana winds

Wind-driven brush fires forced evacuations across a broad section of Southern California on Friday, with tens of thousands of homes losing power as utility companies made proactive shutoffs to reduce wildfire risk. More than 285 firefighters battled the Bryson Fire through the night as gusts of up to 30mph — forecast to grow stronger through Friday afternoon — caused spot fires to race ahead of the main front. Separate fires broke out in Azusa and at Camp Pendleton military base, with red flag warnings in effect across Los Angeles and Ventura counties until Saturday evening. Southern California Edison proactively shut off power to around 39,000 customers to reduce wildfire risk.

The Bryson Fire broke out near Camp Kilpatrick juvenile detention centre in Malibu, which safely evacuated all 38 young detainees in its care.

The National Weather Service warned that dropping humidity combined with strengthening Santa Ana winds will create a 'critical fire weather threat' through Friday afternoon.

Authorities face questions over whether the lessons of January 2025's Palisades firestorm have been absorbed; that disaster killed 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures.