Out-of-control wildfires in California force hundreds to flee

Oakhurst: Two out-of-control wildfires in California forced hundreds of residents to flee from their homes on Sunday. One fire near a lakeside resort town has destroyed several structures, authorities said. [caption id=“attachment_1712525” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A plume of smoke rises into the sky as a wildfire burns in the Cleveland National Forest in eastern Orange County, California. AP[/caption] The blaze, sparked shortly after 1.30 pm near Bass Lake, California, prompted authorities to evacuate about 1,000 residents out of 400 homes, Sheriff’s spokeswoman Erika Stuart said. “I know 10 structures have been destroyed already,” Stuart said. The fire started off a country road between Oakhurst, a foothill community south of the entrance to Yosemite National Park, and Bass Lake and quickly grew to at least 320 acres (130 hectares), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant said. Further north, a wildfire about 100 kilometers east of Sacramento forced the evacuation of 133 homes. Sheriff’s officials said residents of another 406 homes were being told to prepare to flee. Berlant said the blaze started in a remote area Saturday, but exploded on Sunday when it reached a canyon full of thick, dry brush. It has burned 4 square miles (10 sq. kilometers), and was 10 percent contained. AP