Spreading fire prompts evacuations near Lower Lake

A helicopter flies over Willow Creek Canyon as a wildfire continues… It jumped the containment line Tuesday in rugged, steep terrain baked by triple-digit temperatures.

Immediate evacuations are in place for residents in the area, and Cal Fire says structures are threatened by the blaze.

Chris Dolce, a weather.com digital meterologist said “a building ridge of high pressure in the West is bringing above-average temperatures from northern California to the Pacific Northwest”.

Smoke from the North Bay’s latest wildfire – a fast-moving blaze in Lake County – was visible in the Upvalley late Wednesday afternoon. The fire burned through more than 3 1/2 square miles and is about half contained.

The area is full of heavy brush and timber.

Authorities ordered mandatory evacuations immediately after the blaze broke out in Lake County.

So far this year, state firefighters have responded to almost 3,900 blazes – a 41 percent increase from the same period last year, according to Cal Fire.

“As dry as the conditions are in the Sierra now… they couldn’t stop it”, said Linn, declining to identify the boy, who remains at home because of his cooperation and could be charged next week. Temperatures at the scene were about 100 degrees, with an 11 miles per hour south wind and 10 percent humidity adding to the fire risk.

In the Sierra Nevada foothills, evacuation orders have been lifted for residents of 50 homes after a fire started there Saturday, Berlant said.