Wildfires

Wildfires - USA

California - Fire crews trying to gain ground on two wildfires that were threatening nearly 750 rural homes on national forest land in Northern California braced for more erratic winds on Monday from nearby thunderstorms.

The two fires threatening homes in the Klamath National Forest had burned through nearly 25 square miles of dry timber near the community of Etna in Siskiyou County.

Crews were getting a handle on the smaller of the two fires, which was responsible for most of the threatened homes, fire spokesman Richard Hadley said. It was 25 percent contained. But the second blaze burning about 8 miles away was fuelled Sunday by gusty winds from a nearby storm system that sent flames up the steep canyons. It was 4 percent contained.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued for about a dozen homes. The other threatened homes were under an evacuation advisory. The fires were also threatening 46 commercial structures. The causes of the fires, which broke out late last month, were under investigation.