As much of California suffers from a scorching heat wave, wildfires in the Tahoe and Fresno areas have forced residents to flee their homes as firefighters battle the flames in blistering heat and rugged terrain.
Three firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the Fresno County fire, but no civilians were hurt in either blaze.
In Sierra County, flames from the Bear Fire are slowly advancing toward the Sierra Nevada communities of Sierra Brooks and Loyalton, the U.S. Forest Service in the Tahoe National Forest said Wednesday morning, with the blaze fueled by strong winds and dry vegetation.
The Bear Fire, which started Monday, has grown to 3,000 acres as of Wednesday morning, prompting authorities to order the evacuation of residents in more than 500 homes in Sierra County.
Strong winds intensified the fire's behavior, fire officials said, and flames spread across much of the fire's perimeter Tuesday. Flames crossed Smithneck Road Tuesday, helping the fire spread eastward.
As flames continued to spread from about a mile from Sierra Brooks and three miles from Loyalton, more than 420 firefighters were focused Wednesday on trying to protect homes and infrastructure.
“Due to the steep and rocky terrain, crews have had difficulty accessing some areas of the fire, which has slowed progress,” U.S. Forest Service officials said in a Facebook update. “The large amount of dead and downed fuel has served as a catalyst for the rapid spread of the fire into brush and timber.”
High-voltage power lines were also damaged by the fire, and about 760 residents were left without electricity, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Firefighters are attempting to contain the blaze, building containment lines and using water drops and fire retardant to try to contain the fire.
Meanwhile, in Fresno County, the Boone Fire, which started Tuesday afternoon, has burned more than 11,000 acres.
Erratic winds and scorching temperatures have complicated firefighting efforts, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
According to the National Weather Service, firefighters are expected to battle the Fresno County fire while enduring triple-digit temperatures through at least Sunday. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 102 degrees on Wednesday. On Thursday, temperatures in Fresno are forecast to reach a high of 104 degrees.
The fire, burning west and northwest of Coalinga, was 5% contained as of Wednesday morning.
Although the fire is burning in a mostly open area of Los Gatos Creek, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday on Facebook that it has identified about three dozen homes that are currently in the path of the fire. Evacuation orders have been issued for those homes, the office said.
A total of 175 firefighters were currently battling that blaze, but the Fresno County Sheriff's Office said more resources are expected to arrive Wednesday.
The fires come as a heat wave approaches Southern California, with temperatures expected to reach more than 110 degrees in the San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Woodland Hills, Pasadena, Santa Clarita and Palm Springs.
