Crews to carve containment lines around Idyllwild

Crews plan to carve containment lines around the mountain town of Idyllwild Thursday to keep a fast-moving wildfire from sweeping over it.

Some 6,000 residents and visitors were evacuated Wednesday as a wind shift pushed the flames toward them in the San Jacinto Mountains just southwest of Palm Springs.

The fire had destroyed at least six houses and mobile homes and 16 other buildings, and had burned 22,800 acres of land as of Thursday morning.

Some 2,200 homes were evacuated and 4,100 hotels, condos, homes and cabins remain threatened.

U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Melody Lardner said the fire reached a ridge near Idyllwild and is moving in three directions – toward the town, also Palm Springs and a rural area called Trail’s End.

Smoke and flames could be seen from Palm Springs early Thursday morning.