Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills and Orange County on fire; evacuations ordered

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has just declared a state of emergency in Orange and Riverside counties as a result of the Freeway Fire that has burned about 5,800 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 160 homes and prompted mandatory evacuations and road closures. Earlier today he declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County because of the Sylmar wildfire.

9:08PM - About 60 structures have been destroyed, 100 damaged and 1,000 threatened by the Corona Fire, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

9:03PM - Mandatory evacuations are in effect for Yorba Linda at Foxtail and Stonehaven drives northwest of San Antonio Road and Yorba Linda Boulevard and north of Yorba Linda Boulevard between San Antonio Road and Village Center.

Voluntary evacuations are in place north of Yorba Linda Boulevard between Village Center and Fairmont Boulevard. The area east of State College and north of Lambert was evacuated in Brea, and in Anaheim the area west of the 241 Freeway, east of Weir Canyon Road/Serrano, south of the 91 Freeway and north of Marblehead.

8:52PM - The Corona Fire, which has burned about 5,870 acres, is now 5 percent contained, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

8:18Pm - Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in the Olinda Villare and Sleepy Hollow areas of Brea.

7:40PM - About 4,500 homes have been evacuated in Anaheim, affecting 12,600 people, and 8,000 to 10,000 people have been evacuated in Yorba Linda due to the Corona Fire, according to the Orange County Emergency Operations Center. About 300 people are being housed in shelters in Orange County.

6:33PM - The Corona Fire has grown to 2,000 acres, with 0 percent containment, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

6:06PM - The Red Cross has set up the Safe and Well website. If you have been affected by a disaster, this website provides a way for you to register yourself as “safe and well.” From a list of standard messages, you can select those that you want to communicate to your family members, letting them know of your well-being. To register yourself or search for a person, go to www.disastersafe.redcross.org.

5:29PM - Fire officials have clarified their damage estimate in Orange County: In the Anaheim Hills area, 18 structures have been destroyed, including 50 units in the Cascade Apartments, says Maria Sabol of the Anaheim Fire Department. In addition, eight structures have sustained major damage and one has minor damage as a result of the Corona Fire, she says.

5:13PM - A Metrolink spokesman says the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railway shut down Metrolink's Inland Empire-Orange county line between the downtown Riverside and Anaheim Canyon stations this afternoon due to the wildfire in the Corona-Anaheim Hills-Yorba Linda area.

A dozen buildings burned in the Riverside County town of Corona. Two city firefighters were slightly injured when the fast-moving flames swept over their fire engine, said Christy Romero, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Fire Authority.

Hot embers and choking smoke filled the air.

The fire moved west into the neighboring Orange County communities of Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills.