Northern California blaze expands to 5 square miles
FORESTHILL, Calif. — The Latest on the wildfires burning in the U.S. West:
SIERRA FOOTHILLS
A wildfire in Northern California threatening 2,600 structures in the Sierra foothills grew to more than five square miles Saturday.
The fire started Tuesday afternoon, rapidly growing as it charged through inaccessible terrain and climbed out of a steep canyon along the middle fork of the American River.
Authorities say at least 1,650 people have been forced from their homes as the blaze about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento threatens hundreds of homes, businesses and other structures.
No damage to structures has been reported. The fire is 12 percent contained.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says the Red Cross has set up an evacuation center in Auburn, near Sacramento.
NEAR ST. GEORGE, UTAH
A call for voluntary evacuation has been partially lifted as firefighters make significant progress in containing a southern Utah wildfire.
Fire officials say the blaze near Pine Valley, north of St. George, was 42 percent contained as of Friday night.
The voluntary evacuation now applies only to a small area of Pine Valley near where firefighters are still building a fire line.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office also opened the road into town to public traffic.
The fire, which has torched 2.4 square miles of rugged terrain so far, had previously forced evacuations.
According to law enforcement, property owners should be prepared to evacuate should conditions change.
The Pine Valley Recreation Area in the Dixie National Forest remains closed.
More than 550 firefighters are working on structure protection and other strategies to halt the fire from spreading.
The fire started June 13 with a lightning strike on Saddle Mountain.
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
A wildfire threatening up to 100 homes in central California has grown to 2.5 square miles.
Kern County fire officials say evacuation orders remain in effect Saturday for residents in the Bear Valley Springs community.
No structures have been burned and firefighters are focused on keeping the blaze from reaching Hart Flat, a community of about 5,000 people. Officials are warning people there to be on alert and prepared to leave their homes if necessary.
The fire, which broke out Friday afternoon, is about 60 miles south of a large and deadly blaze that started near Lake Isabella last week. That fire is 85 percent contained, and resources from it are being diverted to fight the new fire.
