Northern California fire threatens thousands of homes, forces evacuations

Firefighters in Northern California are battling a series of blazes started Friday. One of the largest started Saturday near the border of Tehama and Shasta counties in Northern California 170 miles north of Sacramento, the state’s capitol.

The Ponderosa fire started in thick forests after the area was hit by a series of lightning strikes. It is threatening 3,000 homes and 300 other structures in the towns of Manton, Shingletown and Viola.

More than 12,000 firefighters are battling the blaze, one of many wildfires burning across California and the West, according to an AP report.

Another wildfire started by lightning was reported in Mendocino, County. A fire in Mendocino County doubled in size, sending smoke into the Lake County air basin, while wild land fires continued to burn across the northern part of the state.

The fire was reported on Saturday afternoon and grew to 1,000 acres by Sunday and is reportedly only 5 percent contained, according to Lake County News.

The fire is located on Mendocino Pass Road northeast of Covelo, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said the Pass Fire was caused by lightning. Social media reports reported seeing lightning strikes to the north late Friday.

The fire has resulted in three minor injuries, according to Cal Fire.

Fire season has begun in Northern California as fires are reported to have burned 350 acres in the Whitmore area of Shasta County. The Mill Fire in Butte County has burned 1,610 acres and is 35 percent contained. The Reading Fire in Lassen National Park was 51 percent contained. The Fort Complex Fire has burned 200 acres with no containment. The Chips and Rush Fires located on the Bureau of Land Management land in Northern California District near Ravendale has burned 249,578 acres since it began on August 12 and is reportedly 45 percent contained, reported by Cal Fire.

View google map of locations and containment status of California fires here.

Resources

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ikwYFxiEHzxDz48rRasJ0eazrhHg?docId=f355c55bf5b447b48d6c2eb7e69de6da

http://www.lakeconews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26559:mendocino-county-fire-sends-smoke-into-lake-county-wildland-fires-rage-across-northern-california&catid=1:latest&Itemid=197

http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/firemaps.php

http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current