Two of the most damaging wildfires burning in Northern California continued to spread rapidly and tax fire crews Thursday.
The Caldor Fire in El Dorado County, about halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, grew to more than 65,000 acres with no containment, and the Dixie Fire, spanning four counties in the northern Sierra Nevada, was up to more than 678,000 acres, making it the largest single wildfire in state history.
The Caldor Fire earlier this week forced thousands to evacuate and ripped through the community of Grizzly Flats, leaving very little behind. At least 86 structures were destroyed, and nearly 6,000 more remain threatened by the out-of-control blaze, Cal Fire said.
Evacuation centers have filled up as more areas in neighboring Amador County came under threat Wednesday.
Meanwhile, containment on the Dixie Fire grew slightly to 35%, but the blaze as of Wednesday had destroyed more than 1,200 homes, including the entire town of Greenville in Plumas County last week. About 16,000 structures remain threatened by the blaze.
The fire started in Butte County on July 14 and since then has spread to parts of Plumas, Lassen and Tehama counties.
At least two people suffered burn injuries in the Dixie Fire, according to officials. No injuries have been reported in the Caldor Fire.
Both wildfires have been fueled by persistent winds and bone dry conditions, Cal Fire said.
For the latest details and evacuation information, visit the Cal Fire website.
Source: NBC Bay Area
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