Butte Fire Grows To 71,063 Acres, 30% Contained
AMADOR COUNTY (CBS13) – The fire burning in Amador and Calaveras counties continues to grow, but so does containment.
Fire crews say drought conditions and the topography of Calaveras County makes the Butte Fire's behavior unpredictable.
Flames continues to move through southeast Calaveras County. As of Monday morning, 71,063 acres have burned; however, containment has shot up to 30 percent.
Crews say the fire follows canyons and drainages, periodically running up and into the hills.
Despite difficult terrain to get into, fire crews have made progress.
Fire crews say their main objective out in San Andreas is to protect homes from flames and create perimeters. Evacuations and road closures remain in effect for many areas.
RELATED: Butte Fire latest information and evacuation orders from Cal Fire
Cal Fire reports more than 135 homes and 79 outbuildings have been destroyed. More than 4,500 firefighters are at the scene.