Wildfire in Central California forces evacuations

MARIPOSA, Calif. — A wildfire near a Central California lake Sunday afternoon forced the evacuation about 100 rural homes, authorities said.

The fire in Mariposa County broke out about 3:30 p.m. and quickly spread to about 500 acres, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Hot, dry conditions were fueling the blaze near Lake McClure, which was threatening about 100 homes on nearby rural roads.

Although the blaze started in a rural area, many people were in the foothill area west of Yosemite National Park for the holiday weekend, Berlant said.