Massive effort to smother California wildfire
More than 100 homes are in the path of a massive wildfire near California's wine country, reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy.
Firefighters are trying to get an upper hand on the blaze that has burned more than 10 square miles and sent flames shooting 100 feet into the air.
More than 1,000 fire personnel have been involved in the massive effort since the fire began two days ago. The fire is slowing down, but dozens of people were still out of their homes Friday.
Crews were attacking the flames from every angle, with planes and helicopters from above and firefighters on the ground.
Some of the 13 deployed helicopters have been using Lake Berryessa to refill their buckets.
California fire captain Joe Fletcher said the lake's close proximity is essential to the fight.
"The turnaround time between the dipping and the dropping is a lot less," Fletcher said.
When Elena Whitcombe returned to Winters, California, to inspect the damage to her childhood home on Thursday, parts of the yard were still smoldering.
"I was afraid that everything was going to be completely gone," Whitcombe said. "The inside of the house is somewhat burned, but they were able to save the structure."
A nearby barn wasn't as lucky. It's the only structure to have been destroyed thus far.
Temperatures in Vacaville, California, were expected to reach the triple digits next week, adding an additional threat to the already bone-dry landscape.