California firefighters control blaze that jumped line

Residents along Knoxville, Dam, Boham, Ouarterhorse, Sleepy Hollow, Jerusalem Grade, Spruce Grove (north), Noble Ranch and Cantwell Ranch roads.

Conditions: Fire is traveling a rapid rate of spread with forward spotting. This is very rough and rugged country with lots of brush on the ground. Additional resources are ordered. Temperatures are approximately 94 degrees, 14 % humidity and wind is southwest at 11 miles per hour.

The Rocky Fire started on Wednesday in Lake County, 110 miles north of San Francisco.

About 500 people were ordered to evacuate, with emergency shelters opened for the evacuees and their livestock, she said.

The fast-spreading fire is burning east of Lower Lake and officials say people living in the area have been ordered to immediately evacuate.

Mandatory evacuations are in place for residents in the Morgan Valley area. Dozens of buildings are threatened. Rescue units were en route.

As of Thursday morning, the fire was at 7,500 acres, but 80 percent contained. The plan to put smokejumpers on the fire Wednesday night failed because of highly erratic winds making it too risky.

Around 10:30 p.m., radar images showed an impressive smoke plume from the wildfire. Poor access routes and a suspect bridge hampered the initial attack. The drops can be in just the right spot, but lay on top of the brush, which allows the fire to burn freely underneath and quickly exceed the retardant line.

A fire northeast of Sacramento burned through more than 3-1/2 square miles and is about half contained. They were soon joined by teams from the Northshore Fire Protection District. Two evacuation centers are opened – Highland Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Road, Clearlake and Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road, Middletown.

A number of roads have also been closed.

The Lake County Office of Emergency Services responded to the incident as it spread.

“After suffering burns on the Lowell Fire in Nevada County yesterday, three of the four injured firefighters have been released from the hospital and are expected to make a full recovery”, officials said earlier this week. They had been joined by water tenders, bulldozers and 16 aircraft, both air tankers and helicopters.