LOS CABOS, Mexico — Emergency workers struggled today to evacuate thousands of reluctant slum dwellers as extremely dangerous Hurricane Jimena approached Mexico's resort-studded Baja peninsula.

Jimena, just short of Category 5 status with winds of near 155 mph, could rake the region of harsh desert fringed with picturesque beaches and fishing villages as a major hurricane by this evening

Police, firefighters and Navy personnel drove through shantytowns, trying to persuade 10,000 people to evacuate shacks made of plastic sheeting, wood, reeds and even blankets.

Many residents feared that their few possessions would be stolen if they left.

Roberto Hernandez, a community organizer, said he and other activists had formed a security brigade to ride out the storm and watch over their neighbors' possessions.