California fires destroy homes, force 2,000 residents to evacuate

(CNN) - Fires in northern California burned roughly 1,000 acres Friday, destroying several homes and forcing the evacuations of 2,000 people.

As of 6 p.m. (9 p.m. ET), at least nine structures had burned in the series of fires along Highway 1 in Santa Cruz County, said Enrique Sahagun, spokesman for the county's fire department.
Video showed several homes engulfed in flames.

The Red Cross set up an evacuation center at a high school. Several roadways - including southbound traffic on Highway 1 - were shut, Sahagun said.