Hot, windy weather stoke brush fires spark in Southern California, power turned off for many

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Several brush fires were burning in Southern California on Friday, stoked by hot, windy weather that's led to some evacuations and tens of thousands of people in the state waking up in the dark after their electricity was turned off.A rapidly spreading blaze in Malibu, a coastal town west of Los Angeles, prompted evacuation orders and warnings for a large swathe of the Santa Monica Mountains. A large cloud of black smoke over the hilltops could be seen on nearby cameras and miles away. Wind gusts of up to 30 mph (48 kph) were reported early Friday and were forecast to increase, the National Weather Service said.With humidity levels dropping, “this will favor a critical fire weather threat,” the service said early Friday.More than 285 firefighters battled the Bryson Fire overnight, which grew to about 200 acres (81 hectares) and threatened a Los Angeles County juvenile detention and rehabilitative facility, which was evacuated Thursday night. Fire officials planned