More growth for central California wildfire

About 330 structures are threatened.

As of 7 a.m the chimney fire is 47 percent contained and has burned 45,008 acres.

A total of 91 firefighters and fire-fighting personnel from the county were working in the fire zones this week, including two strike teams, several department mechanics sent to help maintain and fix equipment, a hand crew, and multiple people who were helping with logistics and resource management, Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Mike Lindberry said.

More than 1,200 firefighters are battling the 6-square-mile blaze that started August 13 and spread to the community’s downtown area and many residential neighborhoods.

“This fire did not go through a dense community, like some fires do”, spokesman Costa Dillion said.

A plane drops a fire retardant over a wildfire near Cajon Pass in California on Tuesday.

And some state parks are coming back on line including guided tours of the Point Sur Light Station Historic Park which will resume on Saturday, portions of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park including McWay Falls Trail have reopened but all areas east of the parking lot as well as the two environmental campsites west of Highway 1 remain closed. It was closed Sunday after the fire reached an area near the mansion’s water supply.

Lake Nacimiento resident Richard Coffey said Sunday that backfires were being lit to protect his neighborhood. It remains only 35 percent contained.

Along the southeastern edge of the fire, containment lines built either by hand or bulldozers were being set in the dam area while structures, like the Jack English cabin, were being wrapped in foil blankets as protection from the flames.

At least 2,400 people are under evacuation orders in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties.

A preliminary damage report finds 96 homes and 213 outbuildings were destroyed in the blaze that broke out Tuesday. Officials said they weren’t sure when the command center would move and Toro would be re-opened to the public.

Meanwhile, a fire near the town of Davenport in Lincoln County covered 6.5 square miles, and was 20 percent contained.

Hot and dry conditions were expected to continue across the fire area on Wednesday. Work by the damage assessment team is ongoing.

That fire grew to almost 38 square miles overnight into Sunday morning and remained 35 percent contained.

Fire officials tell Spokane TV station KHQ that the fire in Lincoln County scorched more than 15 square miles by Monday morning. Containment stayed the same at 10 percent.

5 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in 20 counties in Washington.

California’s iconic Hearst Castle appeared to have escaped the wrath of the Chimney Fire as the blaze continued to devour hundreds of acres on Tuesday – and the battle was far from over.

He said they understand that “the evacuation is still for their safety”.

In Northern California, fire crews were gaining control Sunday on an arson fire that destroyed 189 homes.

“A fire has never come this close before”, Chambers said. “Really they kind of do a disservice to their neighbors”. More people returned to their homes Friday as firefighters made significant progress against a huge wi. Mandatory evacuations ended on that fire on Tuesday night.

The wildfire started Saturday and is burning southwest of Lake Nacimiento in mostly grass and drought stressed-oak woodlands.

Fire crews were working Sunday to create access for sheriff’s deputies to enter the area where residents were isolated by the fire.