50,000 residents evacuated as tick fire rages near Los Angeles: Officials

Los Angeles: Some 50,000 residents were ordered to flee their homes north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a fast-moving wildfire driven by high winds raged out of control.

The so-called Tick Fire in Santa Clarita, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) north of Los Angeles, broke out in the early afternoon and quickly consumed 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares), fire officials said.

With the help of Code for America, Los Angeles officials plan to dismiss or reduce as many as 50,000 marijuana convictions. L.A. District Attorney Jackey Lacey told Cheddar how the expungement process will work.

The blaze also forced the closure of a major highway and several roads.