Southern California wildfires continue spreading as other regions battle storms and heat

Evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect Tuesday as multiple wildfires continued burning across Southern California.

(CNN)- Evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect Tuesday as multiple wildfires continued burning across Southern California.

“It was surreal, to be honest,” Sandy Fire evacuee Mia Luv said. “I’ve never had it so close to home.”

The Sandy Fire in Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles, started Monday as a fast-moving brush fire. According to Cal Fire, the wildfire had grown to roughly 1,700 acres by Tuesday night and was only five percent contained. Several other fires were also burning across Southern California. In Riverside County, the Verona Fire had burned more than 400 acres by Tuesday night. Officials said one firefighter suffered minor injuries while battling the flames. Another wildfire in Riverside County, known as the Bain Fire, had grown to more than 1,300 acres by late Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a separate fire in San Diego County charred about 1,000 acres.

The fires in California come as other parts of the country continue recovering from severe weather. Communities across portions of the central United States are cleaning up after days of violent storms and dozens of reported tornadoes. At the same time, parts of the Northeast are dealing with unusually hot temperatures for this time of year.

“We say anything is better than snow, but this is a bit ridiculous,” one Massachusetts resident said.

Although it is still technically spring, areas around Boston experienced an early-season heat wave that prompted warnings across the region.