State Of Emergency For California Wildfire

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for a wildfire in rural Northern California that has forced the evacuation of 2,500 homes.

Brown's declaration for the fire in Trinity County on Thursday night says the blaze has destroyed multiple homes, but neither he nor the U.S. Forest Service have said how many.

The fire that started Wednesday night for unknown reasons is burning out of control in extreme heat and very dry conditions about 200 miles (320 km) northwest of Sacramento. It has grown to nearly eight square miles (21 square km).

Evacuation orders have been issued for Junction City and Helena. The Redding Record-Searchlight says that amounts to about 2,500 homes.

The emergency declaration frees up special funding and resources to help fight the fire.

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