Week-old wildfire wreaks havoc on California vacation spot

MIDDLETOWN (California) — A predictable but painful summertime ritual played out in half a dozen resort communities near California's largest freshwater lake yesterday (Aug 4) as an erratic, week-old wildfire that has wiped out dozens of buildings continued to threaten nearly 7,000 more.

As firefighters and equipment from outside the state poured in to battle the blaze burning 16km from Clear Lake, more than 13,000 people were required or urged to leave their homes, vacation cabins and campsites in the latest fire-prone region to find itself under siege.

“This never gets easier,” said Ms Gina Powers, who with her husband and cats on Sunday night fled the Spring Valley home she has evacuated before in the more than two decades she has lived there. “This time it was scarier.”

State and federal fire officials said the stubborn fire had consumed more than 261.59 sq km by yesterday after flames jumped a highway in several places. It remained 12 per cent contained and was not expected to be corralled until at least Monday.

The fire, by far the largest of 11 burning in northern California on Wednesday, started on July 29 in drought-withered brush that has not burned in years in the Lower Lake area, about 160km north of San Francisco. A cause has not been determined.

The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, has the wildfire listed as the nation's highest priority for crews and equipment even as potentially destructive blazes burned in Oregon and Washington, spokesman Mike Ferris said.

Mr Ferris called the fire “one big monster”.

“In Northern California alone, all their resources are committed, and they are having to go outside the geographic area to get resources, whether it's aircraft or firefighters,” Mr Ferris said.

With more than 3,000 firefighters battling the smoky blaze and evacuees seeking shelter, motels were booked up for days within miles.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the fire and has asked his aides to stay in close touch with California Governor Jerry Brown and other local officials, the White House said. AP