Wildfires in northern Mexico destroying more than 60 homes

MEXICO CITY -- Two wildfires have destroyed more than 60 homes in northern Mexico, across the border from the deadly blazes raging in California, Mexican officials said Wednesday.

The blazes, no longer burning on Wednesday, started independently of the San Diego County blazes that have destroyed nearly 1,300 homes but were fueled by the same winds, said Commander Gabriel Gomez Ruiz, director of civil protection for the state of Baja California.

Flames ripped through the cities of Ensenada and Tecate in Baja California, but were under control by Tuesday afternoon, Gomez Ruiz said. About 200 people were evacuated in Ensenada -- but no one was injured, he added.

Meanwhile, Mexican firefighters were working alongside U.S. firefighters in the San Diego area.

Rafael Carrillo, commander and assistant director of firefighters in Tijuana, said he sent 35 of his men to Escondido in San Diego County to work for about a week.

School has been suspended since Monday in Tijuana because of the smoke from the California fires.

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