Lake community flees from wildfire in central California

Flames racing through dry brush destroyed four homes and forced more than 1,000 people to flee a Northern California lake community that was evacuated in a devastating wildfire a year ago.

The fire started around 4 p.m. Saturday near Running Deer and Chimney Rock roads.

One structure was destroyed, but details on the type of building were not available this morning.

Mandatory evacuations are in place for Spruce Grove Road North to Old Spruce Grove Road in Middletown. Homes in the Ellen Springs and Clayton Creek areas, near the fire’s origin, remain threatened.

The fire was throwing embers and spreading rapidly because of parched conditions brought on by the state’s historic drought, officials said.

The blaze, which started Saturday afternoon, is burning in the same area that was hit previous year by three wildfires that destroyed more than 1,300 homes and killed four people.

CalFire spokeswoman Suzie Blankenship says the blaze broke out just before 5 p.m. Saturday and has spread to more than 400 acres in three hours.

Officials say a wildfire racing through dry vegetation in Northern California has destroyed four homes. “Things are very intensely burning”. “Structures are threatened and now mandatory evacuations are in place”, Cal Fire officials said.

Firefighters from California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and from around Lake County are now trying to contain a fast-moving wildfire in the Lower Lake community. Both of those fires are being investigated as possible arsons.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Firefighters are attempting to prevent the fire from reaching Lower Lake, which is where the Valley Fire hit a year ago.