Mine Shafts, Snakes Challenge Firefighters at Blaze in California Mountains
FRENCH GULCH, Calif. (AP) -- Crews battling a growing wildfire that tore through this old mining town in Northern California faced extra challenges Monday as the flames headed into rugged terrain filled with open mine shafts and rattlesnakes.
The blaze broke out Saturday afternoon and had grown to 9,010 acre acres Monday after sweeping through French Gulch, in the mountains about 19 miles west of Redding, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
It destroyed 22 homes and two commercial buildings in the town during the weekend as it was driven by wind up to 12 mph. Fire officials predicted that it would not be fully contained until Friday.
The blaze was only 10 percent contained Monday as it moved north into heavily timbered canyons dotted with silver and gold mines, said Dottie Cary of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
``What's hampering us now is the topography,'' Cary said. ``With the rattlesnakes, it adds to the problems.''
Crews used hand tools and bulldozers to dig a line around part of the fire and set backfires to remove fuel from its path. Fire trucks were stationed to protect some homes.
Firefighters had saved a church, post office, elementary school, hotel ``and, of course, the bar,'' Cary said.
The fire's cause was still under investigation. No injuries were reported.
More than 300 residents were ordered to evacuate, though not everyone did. Those who left might be allowed to return later Monday, said Shasta County sheriff's Sgt. Janet Breshears.
French Gulch resident Wes Lusk heard about the blaze Sunday morning while driving home from Oregon.
``The message I got was 'I think your house burned down.' That's a heck of a thing to hear when you're 300 miles away,'' Lusk, 66, said Sunday. He was relieved to learn that his house hadn't been damaged. ``It's a heck of a big load off you.''
Elsewhere in California, a 10,400-acre that destroyed 80 homes, 30 outbuildings and 10 vehicles in the hills south of Shasta Lake, about 140 miles northwest of Sacramento, was contained Monday, officials said. Most residents had been allowed to return home.
Near Sequoia National Park, a 3,000-acre blaze was threatening 80 homes and 20 commercial buildings, said California Department of Forestry spokeswoman Karen Terrill. The fire was about 30 percent contained Sunday evening, Terrill said.
In central Washington state, roughly 400 homes were ordered evacuated in the community of Dryden because of a rapidly growing wildfire.
Humidity in the Dryden area was low and temperatures have approached 100 degrees. ``The fire likes those conditions. It makes it burn very hot, very fast,'' said Carol Tocco, spokeswoman for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center in Portland, Ore.
North of Washington in British Columbia, 70 new wildfires were reported during the weekend.
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