The so-called Chimney fire, which erupted on Saturday afternoon in San Luis Obispo County, had scorched more than 4,300 acres in less than 48 hours, destroying 20 structures and threatening some 150 others as hundreds of residents were told to evacuate.
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In central California, similar conditions led the wildfire near Lake Nacimiento, about 180 miles northwest of Los Angeles, to explode from 2 to almost 7 square miles on Sunday, said Cal Fire spokesman Bennet Milloy. An entire community of Lower Lake, composing of about 1,200 residents, was evacuated. On Sunday, temperatures hit 104 in Woodland Hills and 111 in Thermal.
The fire is 10 per cent contained.
A wildfire raging through dry brush and grass in Northern California has crossed a road and is moving north into a town of about 1,200. The order affects Lower Lake and Clearlake, a neighbouring community of about 15,000.
“The fire activity could change in a moment’s notice right now”, said Suzie Blankenship, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The blaze grew to 3 square miles and is only 5 per cent contained. As of early evening, the southern edge of Clearlake was being evacuated, and patients at a hospital there were being transferred to another hospital 25 miles away, according to The Associated Press.
Houses are burning on both sides of Morgan Valley Road and propane tanks are exploding, making a hissing noise and spewing balls of fire. Firefighters and volunteers rushed to carry two goats at a time out of the area, as tractors and utility poles burned and bumpers melted off cars.
The blaze was one of 11 large wildfires in California, where high temperatures and parched conditions brought on by a five-year drought raised the fire danger.
A ferocious fire that swept through grassland and then devastated portions of the community of Lower Lake was being fought from the air and on the ground on Monday as firefighters tried to slow the blaze that has already destroyed 175 structures. Mike McGuire about last year’s wildfire. Ironically, the Habitat for Humanity office was working to raise money to help rebuild homes destroyed by a devastating wildfire almost a year ago.
The fire was throwing embers and spreading rapidly as it fed on bone-dry vegetation.
The houses of about 3,000 people in a subdivision also are threatened. Firefighters are still struggling to contain the largely out of control fire.
Suzie Blankenship, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Sunday that 500 homes have been evacuated.
Officials did not immediately know how many businesses and other buildings were lost but say thousands were still threatened.
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More than 7,000 firefighters are now battling 11 large wildfires throughout Northern and Southern California. Flames continue to burn out of control in the area.
