Two separate fires are tearing through California lands, burning homes and sending hundreds of people fleeing with their possessions.
One fire swept through Bass Lake in Central California, a resort area that’s also home to many. Authorities have evacuated about 1,000 people living in 400 or so homes, Madera County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Erica Stuart told The Associated Press.
“This is gut-wrenching,” said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Chris Christopherson, to The Fresno Bee. “It makes you sick.”
At least one neighborhood was hit by the fire especially hard, leaving several homes in complete ash, AP reported.
The fire’s only 20 percent contained.
A second blaze, about 60 east of Sacramento, has led to the evacuation of 133 homes. Another 408 homes were ordered to prepare for evacuation, El Dorado County Sheriff’s officials said, AP reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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