California

Governor Declares State of Emergency Due to Northern California Fire

At least 600 structures are threatened by the wind-driven blaze

California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for a Northern California wildfire that remains uncontained by firefighters.

The state of emergency issued Monday allows Lake County to receive more state resources to fight the fire and for recovery afterward. The fire, which started Saturday, is now nearly 13 square miles and has destroyed 12 buildings.

About 3,000 people have been ordered evacuated.

Lake County is about 120 miles north of San Francisco.

The swiftly-spreading wildfire has torched at least 8,200 acres and destroyed 22 structures, according to Cal Fire. The Pawnee Fire in the area of Pawnee and New Long Valley roads northeast of the Clearlake Oaks community, is also threatening 600 structures, Cal Fire reported.

As of Monday, there was no containment on the wind-driven blaze.

Mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for people in the Spring Valley community and surrounding areas, according to officials. The Lake County Sheriff's Department is posting detailed and up-to-date evacuation orders on its website.

"What we're stressing is that people, when they get the evacuation order, they heed it immediately and get out and stay out until it is safe to return," state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Jonathan Cox said. "This is one of four large fires burning in Northern California. It's a good reminder that fire season is upon us."

An evacuation center has been set up at Lower Lake High School located at 9430 Lake Street in Lower Lake, according to officials. A shelter for evacuated animals has been established at Social Service Center located at 15975 Anderson Ranch Parkway in Lower Lake.

More than 230 firefighters using helicopters, bulldozers and other equipment are battling the blaze in a rugged area that made it difficult to get equipment up close.

"It's kind of the worst possible combination," Cox said.

Officials said hot weather, high winds and dry conditions are fueling the fires less than a year after California's costliest fires killed 44 people and tore through the state's wine country in October, causing an estimated $10 billion in damage.

Downed power lines were blamed for 12 of the two dozen 2017 fires. The causes of the other fires are under investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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