This is Extreme: Wildfires Strike Early, Hard in Southern California

A house is consumed by a wildfire in San Marcos, California, on Wednesday, May 14.  Wildfires have forced evacuations in San Diego County after a high-pressure system brought unseasonable heat and gusty winds to the parched state.

cnn.com - by Greg Botelho, Michael Martinez and Paul Vercammen - May 15, 2014

Carlsbad, California (CNN) -- Thousands of homes, a university campus, a nuclear plant, a Legoland and parts of one of the military's biggest and busiest bases: All have been evacuated due to a rare confluence of fast-moving wildfires scorching Southern California.

Cal Fire Division Chief Dave Allen said nine fires have burned 9,095 acres.

The Golden State has seen many such blazes before. But these are different because they sprung up so quickly, spread so fast, and hit months before the traditional height of wildfire season, making them menacing in the short- and long-term.

(READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

(ALSO SEE RELATED ARTICLE HERE)