Firefighters battle hundreds of blazes in California

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-23  |     ONLINE EDITION

Firefighters work on structure protection, Friday, June 20, 2008, near Watsonville, Calif. A fast-moving fire erupted Friday along the Northern California coast, burning homes, forcing hundreds of residents to flee and backing up traffic for miles on a scenic highway. There was no immediate estimate of how many homes were threatened in the area near Watsonville, about 90 miles south of San Francisco, where dead grass and other vegetation were burning. The fire had burned 1,000 acres, less than two square miles and sent thick black smoke hundreds of feet into the air. More in photo gallery

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HUNDREDS of wildfires sparked by lightning flared yesterday across the heart of wine country and remote forests in Northern California, the latest batch of destructive blazes in the bone-dry state.

One had spread across nearly 6 square miles (15 1/2 square kilometers) by early yesterday after starting the previous afternoon in Napa County and quickly moving into a mostly rural area of Solano County.

The fire threatened more than 100 buildings as it fed on grassy woodland about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Sacramento, said Roger Archey, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

It was 35 percent contained Sunday evening and had destroyed one home, officials said. Evacuations were ordered for some residents, said agency spokeswoman Nancy Carniglia.

Wildfires have destroyed more than 175 homes in Northern California so far this year. Blazes started popping up in the region just as California's unofficial fire season began in mid-May, following the state's driest two-month period on record.

Two small blazes about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of San Jose forced several residents from their homes Sunday. Both were partially contained, and officials said most residents would be let back into their homes by Monday. Those fires were also blamed on lightning.

Thunderstorms were responsible for as many as 75 fires in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, about 160 miles (257 kilometers) north of Sacramento. None immediately threatened homes, said Forest Service spokesman Michael Odle.

Mendocino County had as many as 90 fires, charring nearly 8 square miles (21 square kilometers), Cal Fire officials said.