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Thousands flee wildfire burning near California mountain towns

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Thousands flee wildfire burning near California mountain townsBy Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A fast-moving Southern California wildfire believed set by a serial arsonist forced more than 3,000 residents of mountain resort communities to flee their homes on Thursday as crews fought to save homes in the path of the flames. The Cranston Fire was one of several wildland blazes that erupted on Wednesday in Riverside County, east of the city of Hemet, that authorities said appeared to have been ignited by the same suspect. Brandon McGlover, 32, was taken into custody in Hemet on Wednesday and booked on five counts of arson, the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement on the Inciweb fire tracking website.