New California wildfire erupts near destructive blaze
LOWER LAKE, Calif. -- A wildfire that broke out several miles southwest of a destructive fire in Northern California doubled in size overnight, charring nearly 8 square miles.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says evacuations have been ordered for the new fire that started Sunday. Containment was not in sight Monday morning.
The blaze is burning near a wildfire that has destroyed 43 homes and 53 outbuildings and chewed up 109 square miles since it started on July 29. It is now 85 percent contained.
The new fire in dense brush and steep terrain exploded quickly Sunday afternoon, charring about 4 square miles. Firefighters and air tankers battling the original fire were reassigned to attack the new blaze. Fire officials are investigating the causes of both fires.
Earlier, officials said a U.S. Forest Service firefighter was killed in the Lake Tahoe area after he was struck by a tree while battling a wildfire -- the second firefighter killed in a California blaze since the summer wildfire season got underway.
According to CBS San Francisco, when California wildfires overwhelm firefighting resources, the National Forest Service is faced with deciding where the most important battles must be fought, and what firefighters will work to save.
There are only so many bulldozers, aircraft, and firefighters available to fight wildfires around the state. Chris Schow is the man who decides where to send those resources, and lately, he's been very busy.
"Right before coming out to visit with you, I was getting messages about lightning in the Angeles National Forest," Acting Deputy Director for Fire and Aviation in the Pacific Southwest for the National Forest Service Schow said.