These Photos Show The Terrifying Scale Of California's New Wildfire

A wildfire began spreading yesterday at 2pm in a back-country road near Banning, about 90 miles outside of Los Angeles. NBC Los Angeles reports that Silver Fire, as it was named by dispatchers, has spread to around 15 square miles, with at least 15 structures destroyed and one person treated for head-to-toe burns.

The fire is still not under control. According to the L.A. Times the fire is being driven by wind, exploding in size within just one hour of starting.

This photograph, taken last night by Reuters photographer David McNew, shows a mountaintop smoldering after being ravaged by the fire.

Nearby residents have good reason to be concerned. There have been a number of devastating wildfires nearby in 2013 — Colorado had its most destructive wildfire ever earlier in the summer, while 19 firefighters were killed in another wildfire in Arizona just a month later. This week's fire is in the same location as the 2006 Esperanza Fire — a wildfire that killed five firefighters.

Another photo from Reuters' Gene Blevins shows the imposing nature of the fire.

As of Thursday morning, the fire was reportedly 0% contained. At least 1,500 people have been evacuated, KTLA reports.