Explosions damage homes covered in snow

Officials say two homes in the San Bernardino Mountains reported explosions and these are now under investigation. The incident is atypical for the area and likely storm-related, officials said. With California’s mountain communities under a snow emergency, residents are grappling with power outages, roof collapses, storm-related fires and lack of baby formula and medicine.

Firefighters have been evacuating residents who are medically vulnerable and have no heat or damaged homes to a Red Cross shelter set up at a local high school. They've also been responding to reports of gas leaks and storm-related fires with hydrants buried in deep snow. Many have been trapped in their homes, their cars buried under snow, for a week.

With a fresh 2 feet of snowfall on Wednesday, authorities closed roads up to the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles and the state declared an emergency in 13 counties and is sending firefighters and National Guard troops to be on standby for roof rescues and medical evacuations.